Scattered Hearts
by LilithArtist
Summary: As Luna remains broken, Ansem does everything he can to investigate the cause of her mental illness and help her. But what good will that knowledge be with danger lurking within the castle walls? Through a series of journals, reports, messages, and camera recordings, the lives and fates of other continue to entwine with Luna...
1. Prologue: First Examination

**Hello, everyone! It's finally here: the sequel! Now, just to warn all of you: past the prologue, this story's going to be rather strange on method of storytelling. You could say that I decided to pull a Bram Stoker narration, but with Kingdom Hearts than Dracula. But I hope this doesn't deter you from reading. I wanted to explore what went on after BbS and way before KH1. Anyways, enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts, except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, and no flames.**

Prologue: First Examination

The infirmary was mostly empty, save for one small child, resting in a medical bed with a small empty table to her right. The little girl lay still in bed, staring at the ceiling with empty, glassy eyes that never took notice on her surroundings – not the lights hanging on the ceiling, not the electrical monitors that made tiny beeping noises, not even the beds that are neatly aligned around her.

She made no response whatsoever until she heard the sound of a chair being pulled over next to her, slowly turning her head to find three people in the room with her. One was a yellow-haired man with a red scarf and a lab coat, carrying a clipboard with papers in his hands. The second was an older man with platinum blonde hair and chilly eyes that gleam with intrigue. The third was a young boy with short pale blue hair, who hasn't spoken a word since coming along with them. The older men appeared to be talking amongst each other, discussing things that didn't make sense to her.

Then, the yellow-haired man sat down on the chair next to her, and looked at her as she stared blankly at him. "Good morning, little one. How are you feeling today?" The little girl didn't respond. "Probably not too well, I suppose. You want to know why we're here with you today, is that right?" The little girl nodded slowly. "In order to understand what ails you, we need to learn about you. Today, we'll be working on the basics: identity, origin, and the simple things."

"Ansem, are you sure she'll be willing to talk?" the older man asked, "Last I checked, you informed me that there is a chance she will not answer any questions."

"Whether or not she will talk, Even, depends on the questions you ask her," Ansem replied as he pulled out a pen from his pocket.

The young boy simply stared at the girl with curious eyes.

"Now then, little one, can you tell me your name?" Ansem asked the girl.

"…Luna."

"Luna, is it? That's a lovely name. Where did you come from?"

"…I don't have a home…"

Ansem looked up at her with a puzzled frown. "You don't have a home? What about family? Where is your family?"

"…I'm alone…"

Luna fell back into silence, and reached her hands to her chest, slowly rubbing a golden brooch pinned to her dress for comfort. The boy noticed this, and pulled up a stool to get a closer look at the trinket. In turn, it caught Even and Ansem's attention, and they took notice of the brooch and the stone held in it.

"Is that a moonstone?" Even asked, "I've never seen that kind of gem before."

Ansem stroked his goatee thoughtfully. "Perhaps she can tell us about the trinket she always has with her." He turned to her. "Luna, I see you treasure that brooch very dearly. Could you tell me where you got it?"

Luna stopped caressing the brooch and replied quietly, "…Big Brother."

"Oh, so you have a brother?" Ansem asked with interest, "What is your brother's name?"

"…Terra…"

"Terra…And where is he now?"

"…I don't…have a brother now…"

Her voice faltered as she started to whimper, tears falling from her eyes. She refused to speak any further. This was a warning sign that they won't get any more out of her from a little while, so they stopped.

"It seems that she's stopped talking," Even sighed in dismay.

"Perhaps it's for the best. We'll check on her later, and see if she's willing to talk a little more afterwards," Ansem replied as he finished taking notes, "But for now, we'll just have to make do with what information we have."

Though Ansem and Even had begun to take their leave, the boy stayed where he is, staring at Luna as she turned her head back to the ceiling and closed her eyes; he could see that she was still crying, but barely made a sound as she lay back on the pillow.

"Ienzo, are you coming?"

Ienzo turned around, and hurried over to take Even's hand and leave the infirmary; but before the door was closed, he took one last look at the lone patient with a vivid curiosity.


	2. Chapter 1: Patient Report One

**Okay, okay, it's a pretty short section, but when it comes to the reports, I wanted to at least keep these separate from the rest of the eventual chapters. After all, this is Ansem writing what he has found in the basic form. But I promise that after this, there will be more. Anyways, I hope you like!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs. **

**Read, review, and no flames.**

Patient Report – First Copy

Name: Luna

Age: 4

Gender: Female

Hair color: light blonde

Eye color: hazel green

Hometown: unknown; claims to have no home

Family: confirmed to have 'Big Brother' named Terra; otherwise says she's alone

Diagnosis: Depression; possibly trauma-induced

Symptoms: Yet to be seen; will continue interviewing patient until symptoms of diagnosis are found

Prognosis: will require attention regularly

Status report: not very talkative; slower responsive reaction. Must find a way to persuade the patient to speak more


	3. Chapter 2: Ansem's Medical Log - Entry 1

**I'd bet some of you are questioning why I'm having Ansem the Wise not only be a scientist, but also double as a doctor of sorts (if anyone questions at all). Well, here's my opinion: if Ansem can do scientific stuff, he's gotta have some form of knowledge in the medical realm, especially with physical and mental illnesses. ...But that's just me talking. Still, I'd like to see someone put in that kind of bonus in their stories, that'd be interesting. Whatever the case, I hope you enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts, except for my OCs.**

**Read, leave a review, but no flames allowed. **

Ansem's Medical Log – Entry 1

I had just visited the patient for the first time in eight days since she was brought here by her mother. She was very quiet, not very talkative. That wasn't really a surprise. I came into the infirmary with Even and Ienzo, hoping to gather basic information about her: things such as identity and origin. Unfortunately, I couldn't get much out her due to her lack of response and nearly sending her into an emotional meltdown.

However, I was able to confirm that her name is Luna, and when I asked her about the brooch on her dress, she mentioned a brother named 'Terra'. Other than those bits of information, I couldn't get much else out of her. When I asked her where she came from, she claimed that she doesn't have a home; when I asked about her family, the only answer she gave me was 'I'm alone'. I cannot help but wonder what could've happened to her that rendered her in such a fragile, saddening state. Thus far, I have concluded that she is suffering from a trauma-induced depression; the reason I call it that is due to her refusal to speak about her brother's whereabouts. Perhaps something happened to him that made her slip into grief – what is the cause, I will never know.

Back to the matter at hand, Even and I reviewed the report to make sure that no detail has been missed. He was rather disappointed that our attempts to dig into her past had come up shorter than we had hoped.

"I had hoped that we'd be able to get a life story or something," he told me, "But it seems that she won't cooperate."

"The only reason she would not answer us is because something in her mind is preventing her from talking openly," I replied, "That is the only conclusion I can come up with. We'll have to wait a little while until we can interview the patient again."

Even left the study, grumbling in frustration about the examination we had done and how we're getting nowhere. Ienzo, on the other hand, stayed with me and looked at the patient record – perhaps curious about Luna. When he looked up at me, I could see that he wants to know if she is worth studying and whether there is a chance for her to recover.

"I don't what to tell you, Ienzo," I said to him, "We'll just have to maintain patience until we can get answers on Luna's conditions. Given her current state, we just have to be careful and not pressure her into talking."

If anything, I should listen to my own advice on that, or the patient's recovery will take longer.


	4. Chapter 3: Restrictions

**Okay, just to clarify things with the surveillance scene: at first, Braig and Xehanort don't understand about the restriction placed on them; but Ansem will clear it up later on (without spoiling too much). And also, I thought it'd be intriguing if I could do the perspective of the amnesiac apprentice, because it'd be a new challenge to write what he might be thinking in a journal than out loud. Other than that, hope you enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, review, no flames.**

Surveillance Video: Study – Record 001

A loud knocking sound was heard on the study door. Ansem turned around to find out who's there.

"Who is it?"

"Yo, it's us. Can we come in now?"

Ansem nodded. "Yes, you may come in."

The doors opened wide, and in stepped two men. One was a man with an eye patch and a red scarf, and another was a young man with tan skin and silvery hair in a lab coat.

"Hey! I heard that you wanted to see us personally, and brought Xehanort up here with me. What'd ya want t' talk about?" the man with the eye path asked. "It must be somethin' important if we're here already."

"Braig…Xehanort…I'm glad you two could come," Ansem said as he approached them, "There is something I want to discuss with you two before we continue working on our projects." He stared at them for a moment. "I had just received a mentally ill patient as of late, and I am currently investigating the cause of the individual's illness. I will not name any names, but I can inform you that the patient is a child – a rather fragile one at that. At the request of the patient's…close relative, one could say…I was personally asked to strictly prohibit you two from ever seeing her."

Braig was baffled at the information. "…What? Why aren't we allowed to see the patient you brought in? Surely there isn't too much of a problem to just look, right, Xehanort?" He turned around, expecting some defense, but instead found him leaning against the arch. "Hey, what's wrong, buddy?"

Xehanort was found clutching his head, groaning in pain. "Nothing…It's…just a headache."

"I'm sorry, Braig, but you understand that it's for the patient's health that I am forbidding the both of you," Ansem explained, "This is a private matter, and I'd rather not involve too many people with her."

Xehanort gave a sideways glance as he slowly recovered. "Master Ansem. This patient…you said 'her'…What did you mean by that?"

"That, I cannot explain to you." He looked at the both of them. "Do you understand my orders?"

Braig reluctantly nodded in agreement, while Xehanort simply nodded his head (but still had suspicion in his eyes).

"No problem. You're the boss," Braig replied

"Yes," Xehanort answered quietly.

"Then, you two may leave. I'll be seeing you both later to discuss our research. But bear in mind what I have told you."

Xehanort and Braig left the study, leaving Ansem alone with Ienzo, who had been listening to everything. Ansem turned to the boy, and sighed deeply.

"I'm sure you don't quite understand why I am doing this, but I'm doing this for the patient's safety. If she ever sees those two, I fear how it will affect her current conditions. I don't want to risk less chances of recovery." He took in a deep breath. "Now, then, let's meet up with the others and see to our research for a little while."

Ansem took Ienzo by the hand, and the both of them left the study together.

* * *

><p>Xehanort's Journal – Entry 1<p>

As confused as I am about receiving this journal, at least I can record anything I could never speak about openly to others.

Just recently, I was informed by Braig that Ansem wanted to see us, and discuss something important. I hadn't the slightest idea what it is that could require our attention. But when we arrived at the study, Master Ansem informed us that we are strictly forbidden from seeing a patient he had taken in; as he was explaining this, there was mention that the patient was a 'her'. Could this mean that this…patient…is a girl? Who could possibly require Ansem's attention, but prohibit me from her?

I have no answer to that. But perhaps there's someone in this castle who can explain to me.

I sought out Even, since he was the only one beside Master Ansem who had gone to the infirmary. Surely, since he was there, he could tell me about the patient, and explain the master's strange restriction. I managed to locate him by the computers, typing away data into the machine, obviously busy due to his focus on the screen and not noticing I was coming. It wasn't until I had come very close to him that he finally realized he wasn't alone.

"What do you want?" Even asked, a little irritated.

"I want to talk to you…about a patient Master Ansem took in," I replied.

He stopped what he was doing, turned around, and asked back, "Is that so? What do you want to know?"

"I just recently had a meeting with Master Ansem, along with Braig. I was informed that he had taken in a patient – a girl, I would assume since he mentioned 'her' – and had told us we were forbidden from seeing her," I explained slowly, "He wouldn't give much reason as to why we are restricted. Since you were there at the infirmary with him, Even, I thought you could explain why he would prohibit us from visiting the patient."

Even leaned back in his chair a bit, taking a deep breath without saying anything for a few minutes. Then, he sat up and turned back to the computer before answering me.

"Unfortunately, I don't know why he would forbid you from seeing the patient. However, I do have a couple speculations as to why he would arrange things this way," Even replied, "The patient Ansem took in is very fragile in a psychological sense, so he most likely wanted to limit any contact with the child as much as he can. After all, he probably didn't want to take chances on a slower recovery. Another speculation could be because of you and Braig specifically: after all, Braig can be quite frightening to the mentally fragile due to his scar and eye patch, and you…well, you do have a…rather intimidating appearance." He paused. "Other than what I've come to believe, I cannot think of any other explanation for the master's actions."

I remained silent for a moment. Then, I thought about Ienzo: he was there, too, if I heard right.

"What about Ienzo? Why was he involved with the patient?" I asked.

"Master Ansem thought that someone younger might be able to ease the patient's distrust on us, so we brought him along in hope that she'd feel more comfortable," Even replied without looking at me, "Whether or not that will work will depend on the patient. Now, if you're satisfied with the answers I've given you, will you leave me be? I've got work to do."

I left without making any objections. I knew that I wasn't going to get much more out of him, considering that he only partially knew what was going on. With the answers stirring around in my head, it only made me more curious about the mystery patient, but not enough to make me want to attempt trying to investigate.

For now, I kept myself occupied with research on the darkness and aided in the experiments as long as I could. Yet still, whenever I did try to think about the mysterious patient, my head would suddenly ache; I would ignore it sometimes, but on occasion it would be too much and I have to walk away. Other than that, nothing is wrong with me.

There was a point where Braig had found me, and asked me where I had been. For that, I gave him no answer. I don't want him to know what was on my mind until the right moment. It would be best if I collected my thoughts carefully first, and then explain what the matter is.


	5. Chapter 4: Infirmary Video 002

**And Medea makes a brief appearance. I don't much to say about this, except enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames.**

Surveillance Video: Infirmary – Record 002

Luna slept quietly in the dimly lit infirmary, undisturbed by anything, ignorant of everything going on outside. Then, the sound of the door opening caught her attention, stirring her from her light sleep. She moved her head a bit to see someone coming in; it was Ienzo…he had come alone for some reason.

She watched quietly as he slowly approached her, as though he doesn't want to scare her, until he was close enough to look at her directly. Luna watched his movements warily, almost unsure whether or not she could trust him; until her unease was put to rest when he pulled up the sheet to her shoulders and smoothed it out tidily. During all this, he didn't say a word to her. But it wasn't until he had finished his menial task he finally spoke…albeit just three words.

"Good night, Luna."

Luna felt at ease when she heard those words, and closed her eyes once again, slipping into a deep sleep. After a few minutes, Ienzo left the room, convinced that she'll be alright for the night.

But moments after he left, Luna's shadow extended from behind her, only to show that her shadow was not her own. Instead, the shadow looked like someone else. Then, the shadow revealed a pair of disappointed, pained eyes; then, a female figure partially emerged from the shadow, revealing a red-haired woman in dark purple robes, and reached her hands down to the sleeping Luna to softly stroke her cheeks.

"Damn…Hard to believe this would happen t' you. Believe me, I wanted to help you. But when your mind snapped…something just prevented me from interfering…maybe 'cause of your powers going berserk beyond my control," the woman said remorsefully, "But now look at you: you're all messed up in the head, and your heart feels lost. What's it gonna take to get you out of this mess?" She looked up to hear footsteps coming from a little ways. "Well, don't worry, Luna. I'm still gonna keep watchin' ya, even if others are workin' to help you get better, 'kay?"

The woman disappeared back into the darkness, and the shadow reverted back to its normal position just in time as the door opened again; but this time, it was Even that poked his head into the infirmary. He searched around the room suspiciously for any signs of intruders or unexpected visitors, but couldn't find anyone within sight. Giving up on the search, he shook his head, muttering "I must be hearing things." Then, he closed the door, and Luna was left alone once more, undisturbed.


	6. Chapter 5: Ansem's Medical Log - Entry 2

**And here's where Ansem gets to learn a little more about Luna. As petty as it sounds, I will tell you that the pouch Luna kept with her will have a bit of significance since it contains what little treasures she gained - and will gain - through the series. What other treasures she'll get, I'm not gonna spoil. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames.**

Ansem's Medical Log – Entry 2

I visited the patient again this morning; this time, I didn't take Even along with me. Instead, Aeleus volunteered to come with me, if only to keep watch for curious passersby who would try to intrude on the interview. When I arrived at the infirmary, Luna was just waking up – probably because she heard the door open, and wondered what was going on. That, I cannot say.

I pulled up a chair next to her, and took a seat as I prepared to interview her again. But when I looked up at her, she seemed to be focusing her gaze at the new visitor; the distrust was evident, I could see. She doesn't know who's in the room this time, thus the tense look on her face.

"It's alright, Luna. The man near the door is Aeleus. He's only here to observe while we're interviewing. You can trust him," I reassured her.

Luna stared at Aeleus for a moment longer, but then she calmed down and turned her attention towards me with a blank gaze.

"I was hoping I could talk to you a little more, and find out more about you," I told her, "So, how about we investigate your past, and try to find the cause of your current conditions from there? Do you want to tell me your story?"

Luna remained silent for several minutes until she replied, "…I guess so."

"Alright, where do you want to begin?" I asked her. "You decide the starting point, and we'll move on from there."

At first, Luna seemed to hesitate, uncertain as to what to say and whether I could be trusted. But after about five more minutes, she relented herself and began to speak to me.

"…I lived with Grandpa Eraqus. He took care of me…because Mama couldn't. Other people were there, too," Luna began, "Big Brother…and two friends…"

I processed this a bit before continuing. "So, this…Grandpa Eraqus…is he a relative?"

"…No. He was Mama's friend."

I had an idea what she was talking about, but I put it aside for now. "I see. And what of the two friends you mentioned? Do they have names?"

"…Ven…Aqua…"

"Were you close?"

"…Yes…We were friends…But bad things happened…" She seemed to be shivering, about to cry at any moment, but she continued. "They were leaving. I didn't want to be left alone…I don't like being alone. I followed them…went to different places looking for them…"

This intrigued me. "Did you? What did you see? Have you met anyone?"

Luna hesitated for a moment, and then she did something I didn't expect: she reached under the sheets, and pulled out a leather pouch. Then, she weakly held it out to me, as if asking me to take it and look inside. I carefully took the pouch from her hands, and opened it to find out what she was carrying with her. To my surprise, I found two distinct items that certainly didn't come from around here: a diamond and a card that I could assume is a pass to a town. I first pulled out the diamond, fascinated by its beauty. It's hard to believe this was one of her precious treasures.

"Aeleus, come here. You should take a look at this," I ordered.

Without hesitation, Aeleus came over and looked at the diamond in my hand. When he saw the stone, he was equally perplexed at the sight.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Unless I'm mistaken, it's a diamond…freshly dug up and polished. I've never seen one in such pristine condition like this," I told him. I turned to Luna. "Where did you get this gemstone? Who gave it to you?"

"…A dwarf. He gave it to me, from a mine." Luna replied, "I was sad…because another friend was hurt. A dwarf gave it to me…to make me feel better."

I was amazed at her answer: she met a dwarf, and said person gave her the stone as a consolation gift? I never would've thought about that. Then, I turned my attention to the card and took it out to show to her, hoping she could tell me about it as well.

"What about this thing? Could you tell me where you got this pass," I asked her, "and where it goes to?"

She was silent for a moment before she answered, "Ven gave it to me. I don't know where he got it. It's for…a town…" She fell back into silence again.

"What town?"

"…Disney Town."

"That's a peculiar name for a town. Were there good people there?" I had to ask that. Surely, she must've met many people in that town.

"…Yes…And a bad person…" Luna replied emotionlessly. "But the bad person was kicked out…" She shook her head, almost as if she was dismissing something from her mind. "…No matter."

"You said you went to different places as well. Have you met all kinds of people in those places, good and bad?" I asked her, hoping to learn more.

"…Yes. Some were good, and were nice to me…Others were evil. The bad people…" Her eyes narrowed with a twinge of contempt. "The bad people…would hurt good people I liked. They hurt me…they hurt my friends…they hurt my brother…" Tears developed in her eyes. "Someone very bad…killed Grandpa Eraqus…and hurt my friends…And Big Brother…"

She started to whimper, and tears began to ooze out; she was starting to cry, most likely encountering a bad memory.

"Did these…bad things…cause your illness?" I asked her, hoping I could get a clear answer.

Sadly, she refused to answer me. She turned her head away from me, and continued to cry. I realized that I will not be able to get anything more out of her now, so I decided that's enough for today. I put the diamond and the pass back into the pouch, and carefully gave it back to her. She took it and held it tightly to her chest, like it was her only item of comfort. Aeleus looked at me with an unsure demeanor, wondering what must be done now.

"Will she be alright?" he asked me.

"It's only a temporary meltdown. It'll pass," I replied, "Perhaps when she gets herself a proper meal, she'll feel better. But for now, we can get no more out of her."

Aeleus and I left the infirmary to be greeted by Even's notification about Xehanort. Apparently, he had asked Even about the patient, and has been puzzled as to why I was prohibiting him from seeing Luna. He even went so far as to tell me that Braig had been asking questions about it later on, raising a bit of a fuss about the matter. It would seem I'll have to clarify my words, and gather all my apprentices to me to explain the situation; hopefully, this will sate their curiosity and keep them from getting too nosy…for her sake at least.


	7. Chapter 6: Patient Report Two

**Yep, another short section, but you don't mind, right? If you're catching on the slight differences, you know that it's Ansem updating what data he was able to gather. Anyways, hope you like.**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames.**

Patient Report – Update One

Name: Luna

Age: 4

Gender: Female

Hair color: light blonde

Eye color: hazel green

Hometown: unknown

Family: older brother named Terra; confirmed to have guardian called 'Grandpa Eraqus'

Status report: Have confirmed that there were more people in her past; one she called 'Grandpa Eraqus' and two friends named Ven and Aqua. From what can be gathered, she lived with them, along with her brother.

She had a leather pouch in her possession, carrying a diamond and a pass to a place called Disney Town. Apparently, she had been to different places, and met different people – good and bad, as she stated. She speaks of the 'bad people' with contempt. One in particular, it seems, had done something to her loved ones. Who or what, she refused to tell.

Diagnosis: confirmed; trauma-induced depression

Symptoms: slower responsive reaction; heavy sadness; inability to answer emotionally sensitive questions

Prognosis: will require attention and support as much as possible


	8. Chapter 7: Ienzo's Diary & Clarification

**And surprise, I give a slight perspective into Ienzo, of all apprentices! *crickets chirp* Okay, okay. Anyways, I wanted to build up a slight connection between Luna and at least one of the apprentices, and I thought it'd be interesting to experiment on relationships. And given Ienzo's age at the time, where's the harm? And besides, I wanted to spark it with the curiosity of a boy. Anyways, without further ado, enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames allowed.**

Ienzo's Diary – Entry 1

I should imitate Ansem, and have a personal record so I can write down my moments with the patient. I want to understand what makes her – Luna – work, and what made her sick.

The first opportunity I had been around her, she seemed confused and very uneasy about the different people around her, as if she doesn't know whether or not to trust them. I suppose it applies to me as well, since she doesn't know me either. However, when I next came in to make sure she's comfortable for the night, she was still wary of me, but then felt relaxed since I was being nice to her.

Ansem interviewed Luna again in the morning, and was able to learn a little more about her – about other people she used to be around, and what she had been through, albeit briefly. But then, she stopped because of a 'bad memory'. I had also heard about her possessing a leather pouch holding two precious items.

Did I hear that right? She had a pouch, and none of us knew up till now?

Maybe if I get the chance, I should take a look for myself, and confirm what she has in her possession. Maybe I could see what she carried that was deemed precious to her.

Later

I had just been told by Even that Ansem is having a meeting with us tomorrow morning. He said that there was going to be some 'clarifying' about matters with the patient, and that Braig and Xehanort are going to be there as well. It must be very important if it involves Luna, so why else would there be word about a meeting?

I guess I'll just have to find out what clarification needs to be addressed.

* * *

><p>Surveillance Video: Study – Record 003<p>

It was later in the morning when each resident of the castle – Ansem and his apprentices – had gathered together in the study. Aeleus and Dilan stood to the right, while Xehanort and Braig were positioned to the left; Even and Ienzo stood closely in the middle. Ansem stood in front of the desk to face all of them, and began to speak to all of them.

"Thank you all for coming. I heard that some of you have been questioning about my business with a patient in the castle, and even wondered why I've set up restrictions on a few of you. Well, then, allow me to explain about the procedures," Ansem explained, "You see, someone I know brought the patient – a young lady named Luna – to me, and asked for aid in helping the child recover from a serious mental instability. But to ensure a successful recovery, certain conditions had to be met: few people I can trust are allowed to see her and tend to her needs, and certain residents must be prohibited from contact." As he said this, his orange eyes met Xehanort and Braig. "Earlier, you two questioned why you both were forbidden from seeing the patient, am I right? The reason I set this up as soon as I could is because I didn't want to risk chances of a slower recovery from the patient while she remains here. I must request once again that neither of you think about the patient, nor even attempt to visit the infirmary under any circumstances. For all I know, something about you two might trigger negative reactions and affect the patient's mental state."

Just hearing the last bit got Braig a little riled up. "Wait, what? The two of us, trigger a negative reaction? As if! We hadn't even seen this patient, and yet you're still saying that we can't participate."

"Which is precisely why I don't want to take chances, Braig," Ansem replied harshly. "And certainly not on the patient's account. I trust you both understand my reasons for doing this, don't you?"

Reluctantly, Braig nodded in agreement, but still held a suspicious gaze at Ansem. Xehanort said nothing, and made no motion; however, for a moment, he did rub his forehead like he was feeling a little pain but dismissed it.

"As for the rest of you, I'll have to review a few regulations regarding making trips to the infirmary. First off, whenever one of you is visiting the patient – for one reason or another – you must have my permission before you proceed to do your task," Ansem continued, directing this to his other apprentices, "Second, should any of you come into contact with the patient, take great care in maintaining patience; chances are she still perceives most of you as complete strangers, and she might not be willing to speak to you. If you have to work on persuading her into trusting you to accomplish your business, do so carefully. Otherwise, it's best to leave her be. That is all."

Slowly, everybody left the room one by one, save for Even; when everyone else had gone, he approached Ansem, eager to hear about yesterday's report.

"Tell me, Ansem, how did your second visit go?" he asked, "Have you found out anything else?"

"From what I could gather, there were other people she was involved with. She gave the names of certain individuals – Ven, Aqua, and someone she called 'Grandpa Eraqus'," Ansem replied as he turned to his desk, "Also, she apparently possessed evidence that she had been to different locations – a diamond, and a pass to a town that I'd never heard of. Unfortunately, when she made mention about a 'bad person' causing her to lose the people she was close to…she shut down, and refused to talk."

Even raised his eyebrow a bit, puzzled at what he was hearing. "Did you say 'Ven'? That sounds familiar…" He shook his head. "What does it matter? From what I'm hearing, there's little progress with the patient. If only we had a way to convince her to tell us more…"

"We can't pressure her into talking, Even. There is every chance that something in her mind is preventing her from revealing the dark side of her past," Ansem interrupted, "and I don't want her to go through the same pain she already suffered before. We must have patience with her, or else we'll never be able to unlock her tragic secrets."

Upon hearing that, Even fell silent, feeling a twinge of shame at his impatience. "Forgive me, sir. I was not taking the child's health into account, and it was quite impertinent of me." He turned around to leave. "I'll just look for Ienzo, and continue working on our experiments."

With that, Even left the study and shut the door behind him. Once he was alone, though, Ansem couldn't help but let out a deep sigh of dismay at what had been going on as of late.

"If anything, I'm also being rather insolent. What will it take to help a child come out of her grief until a remedy can be found?" he asked himself quietly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.


	9. Chapter 8: Xehanort's Journal - Entry 2

**And another look into Xehanort's mind. Brownie points to anyone who is catching on that he's getting curious. Anyways, I hope it's still enjoyable.**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, review, and no flames.**

Xehanort's Journal – Entry 2

It has been a few days since the meeting, and already everyone has been busy. Master Ansem still complies with the experiments in the castle, and all of us do what we are normally assigned to do. But once in a while, someone will stop what they're doing and see to the patient upstairs in the infirmary. Ansem is a constant around her, since he is the one trying to pry information out of her as carefully as he can; sometimes Even and Ienzo would see her just to make sure she's stable, and other times either Dilan or Aeleus would shift from their guard duties and see to the patient's meals (probably to make sure she remains healthy during her stay).

But these same few days, I've been feeling haunted by my curiosity, repeatedly tempted to see the patient for myself. Despite my desire to slip through and get a view of this ill child, something in the back of my mind would order me to stop and turn back immediately. It feels like there's a war in my head, conflicted between sating my lust for knowledge and the concern of making more trouble for the individual undergoing treatment; sometimes I'm not sure of what to do when this happens. For the most part, I would distract myself with participation in the experiments or minor errands, but ultimately I always feel so troubled that it doesn't go unnoticed by Braig. He would always try to ask me what's going on and whether it was something worth talking about; but I would often not answer him, or I would tell him that it's nothing and move on whenever I could.

One day, I did pass through the upstairs halls, and I stumbled across the infirmary on my own. Sure enough, that same curiosity that plagued me caught up to me again, and this time I took a risk and peeked inside to find out what's inside. I couldn't see much inside the room, but I could make out that a child is in there – a little girl, no less – and she was resting in one of the beds. Someone else was with her, too; I could make out that it was Dilan, seeing to her lunch. What he was offering her, I couldn't tell. The child was eerily quiet, but she seemed able to physically respond when she was told that it was time to eat. The last thing I saw was that she had the tray placed on her lap, and she slowly ate what she was given – and in small bites, I could tell.

Unfortunately, I couldn't watch for long because Dilan saw me peeking through the window like a dutiful guard would. I had to walk away quickly before any accusation could be made on me, so I flew back to my room, trying to gather my thoughts together.

But at the very least, I was able to confirm a few things: 1) the patient is a girl, which explains why she was called Luna (a feminine name, if I heard right). 2) There's no doubt that she's ill in some way – from what I know, mentally. 3) She's the reason why Braig and I were forbidden to see her even when we hadn't made contact with her.

Perhaps I should figure out a way to enter the infirmary myself. Surely someone probably has a key to the infirmary, meant to keep intruders out so as to leave their patients undisturbed. If I could somehow either gain access to a key or make one of my own, I could enter the room and inspect the patient up close. What would happen if I do so, I do not know; but I know that I have to learn more about this girl and see if she has any significance to me.


	10. Chapter 9: Ienzo's Diary - Entry 2

**Well, it's about time I gave you an expansion on Ienzo's experience. Those who have been leaving me reviews have been thinking that Ienzo has some kind of interest in Luna. And you know what? I intended to do that. Granted, I wasn't going to do anything extreme with relationships, but I wanted to give the kiddo some extent of fascination for the fragile little girl. So, without further ado, hope you like!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames allowed here.**

Ienzo's Diary – Entry 2

A week has passed since the meeting, and I've noticed that Luna has been confined in the infirmary with no touch with the outside. Although I understand that she requires careful watch for her safety, I thought that it was unfair to keep her contained and unable to go anywhere. So, later in the afternoon, I decided to do something I never thought I'd do with a child my age or below: bring her outside with me.

After lunchtime, everyone scattered off to do whatever it is they're intending to do, but I headed straight for the infirmary and unlocked the door. When I was inside, Luna noticed I was coming, and looked at me with a confused face; it was almost as if she was asking 'what are you doing' to me if she was given the chance to speak.

I asked her, "Do you want to come out with me, Luna?"

She hesitated deeply. I think she was afraid of being seen by anybody in the castle. I decided to take it slowly with her, persuade her into coming. I held my hand out to her, moving my fingers a few times in a beckoning motion.

"Come with me." I said softly. "Trust me."

Luna looked at me a moment, glanced her eyes down at my hand, and back to me. Slowly, she sat up, squirmed out from the bed sheets, and managed to carefully step down to the floor with ease.

When she did stand on the floor, I was able to get a good full view of the fragile little girl. Luna's dress – the only one she had, I suppose – was in tatters and smeared by dirt, probably from something violent, and a leather pouch was secured around her waist. Now I understand why Ansem was able to see the bag first-hand and found evidence that she had been to different places; it must be her only means to hold items precious to her.

She still hesitated with coming closer, so I had to quietly beckon her again until she was willing to comply. Cautiously, Luna took my hand, and looked up at me as if to ask me what we're doing that requires her to join me.

"Follow me," I told her.

As I led her out of the infirmary, I noticed that she sometimes stumbled a bit, and would lean to me for support; but nonetheless, she kept her head down shyly, not saying a word. I guess she hadn't walked in over a week, which probably explains why she would trip on occasions. Strangely, it made me feel bad for her, even though I don't know her too well.

Of course, I had to be extra careful when leaving the castle since I was taking Luna with me, so I had to look around every corner to make sure that no one has seen us. But it didn't long to find a way out of the castle – except I had to find another way out. However, once we were outside by the steps, Luna looked up a smidge and squinted because of the brightness outside compared to inside the castle. It took a few minutes for her to adjust, but once she got used to the light, she was able to look up a little more, but not enough to want to see her surroundings.

I led her down the stairs until we had reached the bottom, and then guided her out into the central square, where apparently there are few people out today. I guess everyone is busy with their routine work.

But then, Luna suddenly stopped in the middle of the square, making me turn around to face her. I couldn't understand what made her stop like that; was she feeling shy? She looked up at me with a timid, scared face, telling me that she doesn't know what I'm doing and why she's even out here in the first place.

"Why are we here?" she asked quietly, on the verge of backing away.

What answer could I give her? Without thinking, I replied, "You'll see."

Though she was still unsure, she held my hand tightly, allowing me to guide her a little further until we encountered a rather unusual talking duck that was setting up shop. He was selling ice cream – sea salt in particular – at the stand. When he took notice of us, he greeted us with a tip of his hat and asked if we wanted any ice cream from him. I wasn't sure what to say to him at first; but before I could speak, the duck took notice of Luna and immediately showed concern for her, questioning if she's alright.

How could I answer that? I wasn't sure if it was good idea to say that she's a patient undergoing medical care. I questioned in my head what to do to prevent any suspicion from sparking up about her.

To my surprise, an answer came for me when Luna eyed the ice cream with a faintly curious gaze, wondering what she was seeing. That was when an idea hit me: I asked for two sea-salt ice creams, explaining that she's never had any. Somehow, the duck fell for it, and offered the ice cream to us like a professional businessman. After paying for the frozen treats, I led Luna back to the central square; I noticed that she was puzzling over why she was given ice cream.

She turned to me with a face that vaguely asked 'what do I do with it'. I suspected that she's never had ice cream on a stick, so I showed her how to eat it by doing it myself in front of her. When she saw enough, she followed my example and began to eat her ice cream.

As she was nibbling into it, I could've sworn that I saw a faint bright glimmer in her dulled eyes; was she feeling joy at that moment?

I didn't get the chance to look closer when I heard Ansem's voice calling out to me. I turned to see him coming over with a rather frustrated look on his face, like he couldn't understand why I had wandered off like that.

"Ienzo, what were you thinking, wandering off on your own?" he asked, until he noticed Luna next to me, "And why is Luna with you? She shouldn't be out here in her current conditions."

The most I could do was look at Luna as she remained focused on her ice cream, completely ignorant of the two of us. However, from the corner of my eye, I noticed that Ansem suddenly shifted his attention to Luna, amazed at the small smile she was giving off as she continued to eat it tidily. He must've detected what I saw with Luna when she first started on the ice cream, and is fascinated by the faint bliss in her eyes.

"How interesting…she seems to be enjoying the ice cream," he murmured, "Perhaps she's found a little joy that she's never experienced." He turned to me. "Was this what you intended, Ienzo?"

I shrugged my shoulders, uncertain of how to explain my actions. Ultimately, Ansem decided to let this slide, but personally requested that I warn him before I even think about taking Luna out with me. I guess I had no choice but to comply with that; but at least I did try to do something to help her feel better.

When we got back to the castle, we heard a noise going on at the entrance. Luna stopped and turned to see what was going on, making me stop to look where she's looking. From a distance, we saw Dilan throwing out two older boys – one with spiky red hair and a short scarf, and another with blue hair and a dark jacket. I might've been seeing things at that moment, but it appeared as if Luna had a knowing look in her gaze; perhaps she's met those boys before? What she suddenly said legitimately surprised not only me, but Ansem as well.

"Lea…? Isa…?" was all she said.

"Do you know those rascals, Luna?" Ansem asked her.

She slowly turned her head to him, and replied, "Yes…I think so."

After that little incident, we didn't bother speaking about it again; probably because Ansem wasn't interested in talking about the boys, or we don't want to pry into Luna until later. I don't know.

We returned Luna back to the infirmary, where we were greeted by an exasperated Even, who was stunned to find out that I had snuck out with Luna without his knowledge. He went into a screeching outrage at the lack of supervision over her as we set her back into bed, but Ansem eventually was able to calm him down and explain what went on while she was with me. The idea that Luna had a change of mood from a simple 'act of goodness' caught his attention, and he instantly began asking questions about it as Ansem led him away (perhaps intentionally distracting him).

As I helped her settle in, she held on to the empty stick and looked at it with fascination like she had found an amazing treasure. But as I was about to walk away, I heard her whisper my name, making me turn around and find out what she wanted. She gave me a small smile, and made a little wave at me.

"Can we do it again?" she asked softly.

It was so strange, but I felt a tiny smile come on my face; how did that happen? Was I happy that she was happy? I cannot say.

I nodded at her, giving her a sense of hope. Satisfied with my silent answer, she shifted her attention back to the stick and continued to stare at it for a while longer. That was my chance to close the door and leave with Ansem and Even.

I think I might be interested in her.


	11. Chapter 10: Notes

**Uh-huh, another extremely short section. I know. But on a eerily positive note, you get to find out that there's intrigue going on without Ansem's knowledge...for now. Hope you like.**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, review, no flames.**

Xehanort's Note to Braig

Subject – re: Luna

I heard that Ienzo had taken the patient Luna with him out of the castle. Could you find out what went on between them, and report on her current conditions?

Reply once you know.

* * *

><p>Braig's Note to Xehanort<p>

Subject – reply to re: Luna

I was told by Even that Ienzo gave Luna ice cream while they were outside the castle, and that the patient seemed content. She's been returned to the infirmary.

The kid seems to be calm and peaceful in there.

Have you got a plan for getting in the infirmary?

* * *

><p>Xehanort's Note to Braig<p>

Subject – Entrance to the infirmary

None so far; am still searching for materials to do so.

Update me on the patient as much as you can while I search for a means to enter.

The experiments must continue.

* * *

><p>Braig's Note to Xehanort<p>

Subject – Observance

You got it. I'll keep an eye on her while we're working.


	12. Chapter 11: Ansem's Medical Log-Entry 3

**Here's a little something to compensate for the shortage in the last chapter. I hope you've been enjoying this so far, because once I get a few more chapters up later on, I'll be introducing my own selection of Final Fantasy characters to add into the series. Who exactly, I refuse to spoil. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames.**

Ansem's Medical Log – Entry 3

The patient's conditions seemed to take a positive turn after yesterday's incident with Ienzo. At first, I couldn't understand what he was doing with her, but when I saw how fascinated she was over the ice cream she was eating, I could've sworn that I saw a glimmer of light in her eyes. I suppose it was her first time having sea-salt ice cream.

When I visited her the next day, I found her in bed staring at the stick like it was something very rare and valuable. I couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"Is a simple stick that unusual to you, Luna?" I had to ask her.

"…It's so small. How does it hold something cold?" she replied while still focused on the stick.

"Only the people who make ice cream would know about that," I replied before changing the subject, "Now, then, let's see if we can learn more about you. What would you like to talk about, Luna?"

Luna stopped staring at the stick, and turned to me. "…I'm not sure." She fell silent for a moment. "Maybe…about the good people…the good people in places I went to. Is that okay?"

"I think we can do that. As I recall, you did mention about a dwarf in our last interview, didn't you?" I reminded her, "Is there any good person you want to talk about?"

She was silent for a moment, probably thinking about what she wanted to talk about. But then she snapped out of it, and replied, "…You said I mentioned a dwarf, did you?" I nodded, letting her continue. "Actually…I met seven dwarves." I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow on that, but I listened anyway. "They were very nice…and fun, too. I had a good time with them. And a nice lady lived with them, too. I liked her a lot..." Her mood turned dark all of a sudden. "…until a bad queen hurt her. The bad queen is gone now…she had it coming."

"And when the nice lady was hurt, did it make you sad or angry?" I asked her.

"…Angry…at first. Then, it made me sad. That's why one dwarf gave me the diamond…to try and help me feel better," Luna replied.

"That certainly explains where you got the stone from," I agreed, "What other people have you met in your travels?"

"I met a little girl…about my age. What was her name…? Oh. It was Kairi. She was nice, too…and very sweet," Luna replied.

Kairi…that name sounded vaguely familiar. If my memory is correct, there is a young child who bore that name. My curiosity got the best of me, and I had to find out how well she knew Kairi; if she tells me anything she can remember, then it might confirm that the patient had been in Radiant Garden before.

"Tell me, Luna: where did you first meet Kairi?" I asked.

"…Near the gate, where the castle steps are. She found me unconscious. Kairi was worried for me." Luna replied.

"Could you tell me what Kairi looked like?" I asked her, hoping to get the details. "Any bit of description would help with identification."

"Auburn hair…blue eyes…has a necklace…I think she has a grandma," Luna answered quietly. She turned to me. "…Could I see Kairi?"

That time, I didn't know what to do. If I said no, she might get upset at me. If I said yes, what would Luna think?

"Well…if you can behave yourself, maybe I could bring her to you. But for now, you'll have to wait," I replied, hoping that I didn't raise her hopes too high.

"…Okay…" was all she said, apparently content with the answer.

I decided to move back to our discussion on a whim. "Can you name any other people you've met?"

Her eyes shifted to me before answering, "There was another…A mouse. He was…his name is Mickey. He was a good friend. He helped me sometimes. I don't know where he is now…" She turned away from me. "…I kinda miss him. He thought about me…and my friends. If only I talked to him…before I left with Aqua…"

She fell silent, and never spoke another word. I tried to gently coax her into talking to me again, but Luna gave me the cold shoulder and refused to answer.

I knew that I couldn't get any more out of her at that point. So, I decided that's enough for a little while. I'll just have to try again another day, and…

I just saw someone watching through the window on the door. It had better not be who I think it is.


	13. Chapter 12: Caught in the Act

**Now you know who was spying back in the last chapter. Just to inform those of you who've been reviewing my work and reading it, I'm gonna slow down for a few days; but I promise you that more will come out soon. Look forward to it. ;) Anyways, without further delay, enjoy!**

**I own nothing in Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames.**

Surveillance Video: Hall to Infirmary/Study – Record 004

Braig, looking through the glass, jolted like he had been caught red-handed and backed away from the door just as Ansem opened it and stepped out with an angry gaze. Braig immediately raised his hands up in surrender, hoping that he could figure out a way to appease any potential anger that he might be facing.

"Well, hey there, sir! How you doin'? Don't mind me: I was just…um…checking up on you. Y'know, security and all that, to make sure you're in top shape," he said, trying to sugarcoat his activities.

"If that's what you're really doing, then I would've felt secure as I was finishing the interview with the patient," Ansem replied with narrowed eyes, "What were you really looking at, Braig?"

"I was looking at nothing, really. As if a quiet medical room could have anything worthy of my attention…" Braig was about to reply defensively.

"You were watching the patient, weren't you?" Ansem interrupted harshly. Braig slump his arms down in defeat. "I wondered why there was someone watching just as I was about to leave, and the moment I saw your face by the glass, I feared that you might be seeking a way to get a closer look at her when I have told you not to. Now return to your job and do not come here bothering the patient, you understand me?"

Braig was about to protest, but couldn't say anything to defend himself when Ansem gave him a very hard glare before walking away. But when he had left, the man with the eye patch quickly moved back to the window and peeked inside with his available eye, staring inside for about five minutes until he turned his attention to the lock on the door. He spent a good long while studying through the hole, until he finally backed away from it with a smirk on his face and walked down the hall.

"Oh, man, is Xehanort gonna have his mind blown? There might just be a way to enter the infirmary after all," he said to himself, "I'd better see if he's managed to find anything…once I find him, that is. He'll definitely be proud to know that he's gonna be able to examine the kid up close and personal."


	14. Chapter 13: Xehanort's Journal - Entry 3

**Okay, I'm back. Uh-huh, Xehanort's really pushing things. If any alarm bells are ringing around this guy, then that means I'm doing good with the warning signs that things are gonna go south. But before that happens, gotta get past a few more chapters, and the next one will present my choice of additional Final Fantasy characters! How about that? Anyways, enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts, except my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames.**

Xehanort's Journal – Entry 3

The experiments that Master Ansem intended to commence have begun, and I have volunteered to be one such subject. I may not know what the results will be, but perhaps something could be learned and, if at all possible, bring back any lost memory. I question what will come out of it…

Braig just came in, with that same cocky smirk he always had. He informed me about the infirmary's door lock – what mechanisms keep the door secure, and where a lockpick could easily tamper with the system. In other words, Ansem has been using a key to lock away the room, so as to prevent intruders from coming in. Not only that, but Braig informed me that the master always had a special key on him; apparently, he must've set up a security system so as to prevent either of us from gaining access to the room. Unless I'm mistaken, the others probably either have their own key or they have to borrow Ansem's with his permission. That has to be the only explanation as to why he would arrange things this carefully.

It seems that I will have to acquire either a key or a lockpick in order to gain access to the infirmary, one way or another. The question is whether or not to set up a lockpick or to take Ansem's key…If I used a lockpick, then I could tamper with the locking mechanism and gain access, but there would be the difficult process of locking the door again without getting caught. If I was to take the key, then that would make entering the infirmary much easier, but with the possibility of getting caught with someone else's possession. What to decide…

I've been able to confirm that Ansem does have a key of his own; unlike the others – all of whom carry an ordinary iron key – his is silver with the heart shape for the handle. Whenever it is day, he keeps the key on his person at all times; otherwise when it's night, he always keeps it stored away in a small compartment hidden behind three medical textbooks. Who would think that he would use medical books as a cover for the secret vault where the master keeps his means of security? He has to be very cunning to be able to hide something that precious for a good reason.

While I was working, I concluded that if I was going to have access to the infirmary with a key, I will have to make my own. To do that, I'll have to momentarily get ahold of Ansem's key and find a way to make myself a key. Once that is accomplished, I'll have to test and see if the makeshift key will work; only when I know it works will I be able to work my way into the room and enter the place without getting caught.

Ansem certainly hid the key quite well; once night had settled in and the master left the study, I had to be very discreet in my search so as to not draw too much attention down here. Granted, there was a security camera watching the room, so I had to keep an eye out for the observing lens as I searched for the hidden vault.

But after breaking into the vault, it was no trouble getting the key and analyzing it so that I could craft one for myself. I've already left a note on the measurements for the key as well as the size and mechanisms of the infirmary lock, so now it shouldn't be too much of a problem working my way into entering the place. How the child will react, I am not sure, but I must see her if I am to sate my curiosity.


	15. Chapter 14: Ienzo's Diary - Entry 3

**Another day with Ienzo, and now introducing my Final Fantasy characters of choice! Now, hear me out about my choices: 1) I thought Seymour was a bit of an underrated character, but I wanted to do something different about his nature, so think of it like an alternate change in his life. 2) In my opinion, Shanotto is an interesting character and an awesome mage (granted, I only experienced her in Dissidia); that, and I wanted to challenge myself with making rhymes (it was a witch to do). 3) I thought the Solidor brothers - Larsa and Vayne - were interesting to say the least; I loved Larsa as a minor character, and I have some interesting ideas on what I can do with Vayne (but I don't want to give too much away unless you're curious; just don't expect to tell much). That being said, I hope you appreciate my choices. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts nor Final Fantasy, except my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames allowed.**

Ienzo's Diary – Entry 3

It's been a couple days since I last saw Luna. I thought I'd pay a visit to her, and find out how she's doing.

When I arrived at the infirmary in the early afternoon, I found her in bed staring at the stick she held onto just days ago. From what I had heard, she was fascinated by the stick like it's something she's never seen before; and here I thought the ice cream was something that intrigued her more. But once she heard me walking in the room, Luna stopped gazing at the stick, and turned her attention to me, as if she just realized that I was there. When she saw me, she gave me a small, welcoming smile.

"Are we going outside again?" she asked softly.

That was something I didn't expect: she must be interested in getting out of the castle again whenever I'm around. I feel like I'm spoiling her, even though we're not related; but I highly doubt it. If anything, Luna probably just wanted to come out again since she felt more freedom out there than she did in the castle.

"Yes," I answered.

The moment I gave my answer, Luna slipped out of bed on her own but then stood still like she was expecting me to call her over. After all the trouble of struggling to gain her trust, she still waits for an indication of permission? However, I had to do what I was supposed to do: I quietly beckoned her to come over, and she obeyed. Then, I gently took her hand and led her out of the infirmary…only to be greeted by Ansem. I suppose after what happened before, he knew that he had to find me before we would leave the castle and make sure that he knew what was up ahead of time.

"Are you taking Luna out of the castle again, Ienzo?" he asked.

I gave him a small nod, and he seemed to understand.

"I see. Just don't let Luna wander off too far, understand? And see if you can have someone accompany you while you're at it."

I nodded, and continued to lead Luna through the castle until we encountered a miniscule creature no shorter than that of a small child waiting around the entrance hall. At first, I couldn't identify who it was until I could see the front of the visitor – with her large pointed ears and the faded blue-and-brown robe with gold buttons and light brown boots. The moment she faced us, I was able to recognize her as Shantotto, Radiant Garden's professor of magic.

"Why, hello there, my small quiet boy. Are you taking a break from playing with your little scientific toys?" she spoke as she glance her eyes to Luna, "And who's this poor child? She doesn't seem to be physically mild."

Something told me that Shantotto is more aware of what goes on inside the castle than we think; considering how she comes here regularly, I shouldn't be too surprised.

"Illness," I replied.

Her eyes narrowed at me with suspicion. "An illness, you say? What kind does the child display? Be it physical or mental, pray tell? Care to explain how she's not so well?"

"Mental," I replied simply.

"I suppose that will have to do for today, but I promise you I'll find more information another way," Shantotto said with a shrug, "Putting that aside, where is that troublesome Vayne? I swear that seeking Ansem's acquaintance can be such an incredible pain. I suppose it can't be helped that he supports the kooky man's interest in research of the heart, but I wouldn't be surprised if something caused that ambitious young man to have his mind torn apart."

At the right moment, we heard two footsteps coming toward us and we turned to find two people approaching us together. One was a young man on the brink of adulthood with shoulder-length black hair and blue eyes, dressed in dark-green boots and pants along with a scaled green jacket decorated in gold shoulder pads; he wore white gloves and gold bracelets on his wrists. The other was a little boy about two years old with short dark hair, wearing a bell-sleeved cerulean tunic with light blue pants and small brown boots.

Unless I'm mistaken, those two are Vayne and Larsa Solidor. I remember hearing that Ansem has been acquainted with Vayne because of his family's involvement in all manner of research, and Larsa is the younger brother; sad to say, I also heard that they had lost their father quite recently. However, some people have been gossiping that Vayne himself caused their father's death, but no one knows.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting, Lady Shantotto," Vayne apologized, "I had just finished my meeting with Ansem and was on my way out. Is there something that requires my attention at the moment?"

"Oh, indeed there is, you ambitious cad," Shantotto replied as she folded her arms, "While you were poking your nose around Ansem, I just received some news about an orphaned lad. He goes by the name of Seymour, and I can tell you right now that he is no boor. I had just heard that his mother passed away, and of all days it had to be today. I was hoping that you'd come with me to investigate the case, but I suppose it will have to be called a wild goose chase."

While the two continued to discuss matters that didn't mean much to me, I noticed that little Larsa's attention shifted over to Luna, and he actually separated from his brother in order to approach her. At first, she didn't react at all; but as Larsa kept trying to look at her, she finally moved her head a little and reached her hand out to pat his head. It didn't take long for the adults to finally notice this, though, and I could tell that the professor had an idea brewing in her mind.

"Since you and your little friend are here, perhaps the both of you can be a dear," Shantotto said toward us, "Why don't you come with us? And don't even think about making a fuss. Maybe your patient would need another friend, but whether she'll be accepting will highly depend. That being said, let's go! Follow me and don't be slow."

We followed the professor and the Solidor brothers out of the castle and into a part of town that I'm sure none of us had been at before. I've seen my share of sections in the town, but nothing like what I've gone through. The area we entered was rather…lonely…and the bleak colors of the houses only proved the point; there are even a few not so normal people living there.

The next thing we knew, we found ourselves at a lone gray house, and I must admit that something about the place made me feel uneasy. It wasn't until we entered inside that I was able to see what is going on. A small investigation party was looking around the place, and a couple men were trying to talk to a young boy several years older than I am.

That boy had to be Seymour, the orphan Shantotto was talking about. He had a very strange hairstyle and physical build that must've come from another race I don't know about such as the pointed nails and slightly longer arms, but there is a human side to him as well, but it was hard to tell what exactly from a distance. He was wearing a light purple robe with a decorated lime green jacket over it, and oriental sandals to go with the rest of his attire.

"Come now, gentlemen, what is with your persnickety bouts? Are you all detectives, or are you just a bunch of lazy louts?" Shantotto asked sternly.

"What exactly happened here?" Vayne asked one of the investigators.

"It was reported that the boy's mother had killed herself, but when we got here, we couldn't find her body," one of the men replied, "We've tried to get the boy to explain what happened to his mother, but for some reason, he refused to talk to us. At any moment, we might have to place this case under the category of 'undetermined' or something else entirely."

While the adults were discussing the circumstances of the investigation, I saw something unexpected happen before my eyes: Luna, who was quiet the entire time and not looking at anyone, was gazing at the grieving boy and extending her arm out towards him. Perhaps she was feeling sorry for him? Or maybe she found some kind of connection to him that I don't know about? I don't know.

But then, something startling happened that none of us anticipated. One of the men made the mistake of touching Seymour harshly, causing him to burst into rage and – without knowing it – perform a spell that summoned a repulsive, grotesque monster (which, to me, looks like it should come from a horror story) bound in chains and a disgusting opened pod. The next thing we knew was that…that thing attacked us as if to protect its master from harm; two of the investigators were killed in the process. We were ordered to leave the place immediately so as to avoid any harm, but the professor stayed behind for some reason only she knows, and the most we could see was spells being unleashed left and right until the smoke died down. When the coast was clear, we were able to see that the creature was gone, and Shantotto was standing in front of the boy while tapping her foot like a scolding mother would when she knows someone has caused trouble.

"You should know, young man, that whatever it is you're thinking would only lead to a life full of dread, so pull yourself together and bring your sanity back to more than a thread," she scolded, until she smiled with intrigue. "But regarding your raw power, I can see much potential beginning to ring. If you'll come along with me, then I wouldn't mind taking you under my wing."

When Seymour recovered from the shock he suffered from, he nodded his head and followed her out of the ruins. But when we met back up with them, Luna suddenly reached out her small hands and clung to his sleeve, but she still kept her head down shyly as she said something.

"I lost somebody, too. I know how you feel."

I never expected her to talk to Seymour like that, or speak sympathetically for that matter. And, apparently, I wasn't the only one who heard it. Even Vayne raised an eyebrow at her, and looked over at Shantotto, who simply shrugged her shoulders in a way that said 'don't know, don't care' to him. Larsa, the innocent boy that he is, also clutched his tiny hands on Seymour, and smiled sweetly at him.

Of course, we had to return to the castle and Luna had to be returned to the infirmary; if anything, an update on her would have to be recorded as soon as she's back where she belongs. At least were able to get there without so much of a fuss. The professor took Seymour with her somewhere within the castle while Vayne went off another direction with Larsa in tow, probably to meet up with someone. I, on the other hand, brought Luna back to the infirmary and settled her back in without any trouble. As I was getting her comfortable, Ansem came in to see her.

"Ah, you came back just in time. How is Luna doing?" he asked.

I didn't need to answer when Luna asked, "Do more people live here?"

Ansem raised a brow on that question. "That is an interesting thing to ask. I suppose you've already met the Solidor brothers and Professor Shantotto earlier?"

Luna nodded. "Uh-huh. And Seymour…poor boy…"

To my surprise, we heard a knock and turned to find Seymour at the open door, as if waiting for permission to enter.

"Excuse me…is the little girl…here?" he asked shyly. "I…I'd like to…meet her."

"Ah…you must be Seymour. Yes, she's here. Did you want to see her?" Ansem asked.

The boy nodded. "Just for a moment…please?"

Ansem nodded in approval, and stepped aside for him. When Seymour was close enough to me, I moved a bit and let him come over to her. Surprisingly, she seemed to be eager to see him even though she barely spoke to him back in town.

"Miss…thank you. For understanding," said Seymour.

"I know what loss is like…It hurts," Luna replied, "Will you be okay?"

He nodded. "I'll be alright. But I will be busy training. I'll come see you when I can, okay?"

Luna gave him a small smile and nodded. As Seymour quietly took his leave, we saw Luna waving good-bye to him with that tiny smile still there. When he was gone, she closed her eyes and slipped into a light sleep. We thought it best to leave her alone for now; she's probably tired after being out for a while. Ansem might consider interviewing her later, but I can't say for sure. I guess it all depends on her.


	16. Chapter 15: Ansem's Medical Log-Entry 4

**Yep. Our doctor is trying to get to the heart of the matter...I can't believe I said that. -_-; Like I've warned before, things are gonna go south very soon. How so, I refuse to tell. In the meantime, however, I am thinking about creating another fanfiction series to stem things, but that's be gonna quite a while because I need to figure out what game franchise I want to do. And on that note, enjoy.**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, leave a review, but no flames allowed.**

Ansem's Medical Log – Entry 4

The case of Luna has become more interesting. Ienzo took her out again today, and this time she's met more people than us. From what I could gather, she had met Vayne and Larsa, the Solidor brothers I've been acquainted with for the past few years, and she met Radiant Garden's magic professor Shantotto. Not only that, but it seems that she developed a connection with the orphan Seymour, whom I was informed by Lady Shantotto herself that he'll be training in magic under her watch.

Now then, back to Luna.

After giving her a few hours, I visited her later in the evening with the intent of another interview with her. Sure enough, I saw her watching me come in as though she were expecting me and knew exactly what I wanted to do with her. That gave me a bit of relief, considering how some ill people don't take kindly to anyone disturbing their peace.

"Good evening, Luna. How are you feeling today?" I asked.

"…I'm alright, I guess," she replied softly.

"I was hoping I could talk with you a little more before things quiet down for the night," I told her, "but this time, take on something far different than our last interviews. Thus far, we've been learning about those whom you've loved and what few places you've been to, but I'm hoping to uncover the cause of your illness." I noticed her staring at me like she doesn't want to take part in the discussion. "I know you don't want to do it, but I can't help you if you don't tell me what tragic secrets you carry within your memory. If I may, I must implore you to at least try to tell me what you know."

At first, she kept staring at me with blank, unfeeling eyes, a sign that she's trying not to think about her past. But then, she slowly awoke from her trance and turned her head away; I was almost under the impression that she wasn't going to talk to me until she suddenly spoke.

"…Alright. What do you want to know?" she asked.

"Well, for starters, you did mention before that terrible things happened to the people you loved, particularly your family and friends," I replied, "Could you explain to me what happened to each of your loved ones?"

It took a lot of coaxing and gentle pleading, but she finally answered, "Grandpa…and Big Brother…had a fight. But then, Grandpa…he was killed…by a bad man. Ven…he was hurt while we fought the bad ones."

"Can you tell me how Ven was hurt?" I asked.

She answered with a choked voice, "No…"

I suppose it can't be helped she wouldn't tell me the fate of her friend. But I had to press on and see what I can learn from this poor child.

"What about your friend, Aqua, and your brother, Terra?" I asked, "Did something happen to them, too?"

"I don't know…" she replied weakly, "I don't know where Aqua is. Big Brother…" She looked like she's about to break down at any moment. "…He wasn't…the brother I…"

I could get no more out of her when she began to cry, and buried her face into her little hands. It disappoints me that I failed to get the name of the cause out of her, but I can safely say from what I was able to learn that something – or someone – was responsible for the girl's suffering and agony, and quite possibly the catalyst to her mental instability.

In any case, I'll have to update my reports on Luna and record what I have been able to learn from the past interviews. I have a feeling that one of my apprentices would want to know what new information has been acquired and whether or not we could do more research. However, what I was able to acquire will have to suffice for a little while. I can only hope that the poor girl will be to talk again after having a day or so to calm down.


	17. Chapter 16: Patient Report Three

**Yeah, another short segment. But when it comes to reports and notes, I'm sure you've come to expect this by now. Anyways, enjoy this while you can, because things are gonna go south pretty soon. Enjoy.**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, leave a review, but no flames.**

Patient Report – Update Two

Name: Luna

Age: 4

Eye color: hazel green

Hair color: straw blonde

Hometown: unknown

Family: brother named Terra; 'Grandpa Eraqus'; two friends called Ven and Aqua

Status report: In my third interview, I've learned that she's met one of the residents of Radiant Garden, and knows someone called Mickey. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to learn much more than what she was willing to tell me.

I interviewed her again, this time wanting to get into the heart of the matter: the cause of her illness. From what I was able to learn, her grandfather had been murdered, and something happened to one Ven that she wasn't willing to talk about. There is no knowledge on what became of Aqua. On the other hand, something terrible must've happened to her brother, but I could get nothing out of her.

Overall, I can confirm that I've scratched the surface to the source of the child's illness, and must find a way to carefully pry out the information from her.


	18. Chapter 17: Unwanted Visitation

**And...this is where things go a little down south. But, hey, I'm sure all of you reading my work know that this had to happen at some point, so if you knew this was coming, good for you. Anyways, I hope you like.**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts, except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, no flames.**

Xehanort's Message to Braig

I have succeeded in forging a key in order to reach the infirmary. I'll be handing it to you for inspection. Check the door one more time, and make sure that the key works as it should. Let me know what you have found.

* * *

><p>Braig's Message to Xehanort<p>

I've tested the key last night. It works quite well. You might be able to gain access into the infirmary with it without any trouble. As for the door itself, you shouldn't have any problem with the lock.

I hope your little visit turns out well, pal.

* * *

><p>Xehanort's Message to Braig<p>

We'll see.

* * *

><p>Surveillance Video: Infirmary – Record 012<p>

The infirmary was dimly lit, mainly since night had arrived. Luna slept peacefully in her bed, undisturbed by anything. Everything was relatively quiet, save for the occasional faint beeps coming from the monitors and the machines over in the corner.

That is, until the sound of the door unlocking and opening happened later in the night. The door slowly opened wide and Xehanort stealthily walked inside. When he was inside, he closed the door behind him, and quietly made his way towards the sleeping patient. So far, she remained asleep, unaware of an intruder inside the infirmary; this was quite fine by him for the moment. Even so, he still wanted to get a closer look at her, and see if she can jog his memory – or perhaps, find something else.

Xehanort hovered over her, and carefully brushed his hand to her head. However, his strokes soon caused Luna to stir from her sleep, and slowly open her eyes to see someone standing next to her. Once she saw the face of the intruder, her eyes widened in terror and her breaths came out in shudders of fear. Though he immediately stopped stroking her head, he never took his eyes off her.

"Is your name Luna, little one?" he asked softly.

Luna began shaking her head, as though she feared harm would come to her.

He tried asking her a different question. "Do I know you?"

She still refused to answer, putting her hands to her mouth while continually shaking her head in terror.

Mildly frustrated that no answers had been given, Xehanort gave up talking to her; but for a moment, he caressed her head one more time before walking away. He slowly moved for the door, and left the way he came, and was no longer within sight. The door was locked up like it should, and his footsteps softly waned.

Even though Xehanort was no longer in the room, Luna was still shaking with horror from seeing that man. She couldn't believe that she had to see him, of all people; she didn't want to believe that he's there.

"It can't be him…! It just can't be…!" she whispered frantically, slowly turning it into a frenzied mantra.


	19. Chapter 18: Medical Predicament

**Now our good doctor is noticing the problems firsthand, and something is going on. Just to let my dear readers know, I'm not going to post more chapters for a little while; not until I've written further on one of my programs. I might come up with another fanfiction to stem things, or finish my oldest one, I don't know. But until then, thank you for your patience. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, review, no flames.**

Ansem's Medical Log – Entry 5

Things have taken a troubling turn with the patient, but I don't understand what caused it. When morning came and I made my way to the infirmary as I should, I entered the room to find Luna in a wretched state. From a distance, she seemed to only be trapped in an unexplainable fear; but when I got closer, I discovered that she was not only shaking endlessly, but she had slight dark circles under her eyes. It mortified me to see her like this, but I swore that I would do everything I could to help her, and I have to find out what made her frightened.

If only it were that simple…

Regardless of the unnerving sight before me, I had to see if I can help her and find what was wrong with her. But first I need to calm her down, let her know someone friendly is here to help her.

"Luna. Luna, it's me, Ansem. It's okay," I called softly as I rubbed her head, "Look at me, Luna. It's okay."

She must've registered that I was here, and turned to where I stood. I could see the fear in her eyes, but she seems to have finally eased her breaths and relaxed now that she knows that I'm here with her. It relives me to know that she's at ease, but the way she was still trembling made me uneasy. I had to know what happened to her.

"Luna, can you tell me what frightened you?" I asked her gently, "You seemed to be afraid of something, and it left you in poor conditions. Please, tell me what you were afraid of."

Unfortunately, she refused to answer me. But she did cling to my arm tightly, possibly thinking that I was her guardian come to safeguard her from harm.

I tried three more times to convince her to talk to me, to tell me her fears, but she still refused to answer me; it was almost as though she lost her voice. I made to leave the infirmary, but she held my arm tight and wouldn't let me go.

"Don't leave me alone," she pleaded, "Please…don't leave."

"Why do you not want me to leave?" I asked her.

"…I don't wanna see…him…" she replied with an emphasis on 'him'. "Make me forget him. Please…"

Admittedly, I didn't understand what she was talking about. Did someone frighten her, or has she begun to encounter hallucinations? No, if she were hallucinating, I would've known about that; in fact, I would've detected the symptoms of such an issue early on and done something about it. Luna was frightened of something, and I must investigate the cause and put a stop to it before her chances of recovery have been hindered too much.

"Luna, tell me what – or who – frightened you," I implored.

Still, she couldn't tell me. Perhaps her mind had been too heavily hindered by a fear that I hardly understand. I should think of something that can divert her attention from whatever is her nightmare; perhaps someone who can comfort her and put her at ease for a little while until I can find a way to pry into her again.

"Shall I bring in Ienzo, Luna?" I asked her. "Or would you like to see young Seymour?"

I didn't get to hear her answer when I heard a knock on the door. I'll have to stop for now, and find out who's here.

* * *

><p>Surveillance Video: Infirmary – Record 013<p>

As Ansem put away his medical journal, the infirmary door opened and in stepped Shantotto and Seymour.

"Professor Shantotto, I'm surprised to see you," Ansem said with a raised eyebrow, "What brings you here?"

"Well, I am glad you asked, my old friend, considering how visitations have not yet become a trend," Shantotto replied, "You see, my curiosity about this patient got the better of me, and I decided to see her while my day is free. I normally don't want to get too nosy, so how about I just mosey? I was hoping you could tell me how the child over there is ill, and confirm whether Ienzo's fragmented data certainly fits the bill."

Ansem furrowed his brows with intrigue. He knew that information was bound to leak at one point or another, but he never imagined that the magic professor herself would suspect something going on in the castle; he could've sworn sometimes that she has some sort of sixth sense in matters that wouldn't concern a normal person. If anything, it's safe to say that he underestimated the miniscule lady.

"Nothing escapes you, doesn't it, Professor?" Ansem said as he shook his head.

"Funny how you would say that, good sir. But there is still the matter about her," Shantotto replied with a hint of impatience, "So, are you going to tell me, or are you not? Or do you intend to keep me in the dark about the little tot?"

"Sir…if we're to know what's going on, you have to talk to us," Seymour insisted, "Maybe we can help, too."

He sighed as he gave his answer. "Very well…Several weeks ago, an old acquaintance of mine – a woman called Noir – brought her daughter to me because she is suffering from a serious mental problem. She isn't insane, mind you, but as far as I am concerned, she is trapped in a severe case of trauma-induced depression. Lately, I have been working with her in hopes that I would be able to help her set foot on a path to recovery." He paused a moment. "But I have run into a road block for the moment. Something seems to have frightened her, and I don't know the cause. I was about to investigate the matter until you arrived unexpectedly."

Seymour lowered his head sadly when he heard about this. "That's…that's awful. To think that…poor Luna is in pain. Were you able to learn what caused her illness, at the very least?"

"Not right now, no. But I can safely say that I've scratched the surface on the source of the problem," Ansem replied, "However, as I said before, I've run into a road block. Until I can find the cause of her fears, her chances of recovery will be hindered."

Just as Ansem had finished his explanation, Shantotto wasted no time walking over to the cot and pulling up a stepping stool (mind you, she is much shorter than everyone else) to get a closer look at the little girl. As the professor reached eye level, Luna turned to her with a baffled face, as though she never expected this small lady to come see her. But a child's confusion didn't even faze the short sorceress as she studied the child very thoroughly.

"She certainly looks very meek, and it could be worse if she were left in the castle for more than a week," Shantotto said as she kept examining Luna, "But on the mental side, I think that her mind is lost in the dark. You may be working with her, but I'm quite sure that your efforts will not be a walk in the park. Besides, even if you do discover the cause of her pain, have you thought about what you might lose or might gain? The only warning I will give you is that you're treading on thin ice, and one wrong move always has a staggering price."

"I had a feeling you were going to say that, Professor. I can assure you that I'm doing everything I can to help her, and while I may not know how long it will take to support her recovery, I truly desire to see her freed from despair for good," Ansem replied to her warning.

While the two were continuing their discussion, Seymour took the chance to approach Luna's cot and look at her up close. From what he could see, her caretaker was not joking when he said that she seemed to be frightened, especially when she kept shaking despite weariness from lack of sleep. The moment she saw Seymour hovering by her side, Luna stopped trembling and suddenly attempted to stretch her hands out toward him, almost as though she was silently imploring him to give her a heartfelt hug. Caught off-guard by that, the most the gentle boy could do was hold her hands carefully and quietly reassure her that she's going to be fine.

"I don't understand what's going on, but don't worry," he softly said with comfort, "I'm sure that once whatever scared you has been found, you can be at ease again, Luna."

Luna gave a small nod of agreement, even though she maintains a doubtful look.

"We'd best let them be for now, young man," Shantotto called out to Seymour, "We've got what information that we can. After all, there is still much to do, and I'm quite sure you don't want to be behind on your training, too."

Seymour nodded in agreement, though he wasn't sure if the scared little girl will be alright with the other residents of the castle. All the same, mentor and pupil left the infirmary to other parts of the castle, leaving Luna and Ansem on their own. When they were gone, the master turned to the girl and sighed deeply.

"I never expected the professor to suspect something going on," he said as he rubbed his forehead, "Well, at least she isn't like Braig. Professor Shantotto's knowledge of magic has been very important to Radiant Garden, and she is one of the best mages we know about. And that young lad, Seymour…I wonder what she sees in that gentle boy." He shook his head. "Well, that doesn't matter right now." He turned to Luna and gently patted her head. "Right now, we need to figure out what is disturbing you, won't we, Luna?"

Luna reluctantly nodded, but began trembling again at the thought of seeing what she didn't want to again.

All of a sudden, rushing footsteps were heard from a few yards away until it was revealed to be Dilan, who seemed to be out of breath from running all the way to the infirmary.

"Master Ansem, there's a monster outside the castle doors!" he warned while gasping for breath.

Ansem shot up from his seat in shock at what he had just heard. "Did you say a monster? What's going on?"

"From what I know, this creature suddenly appeared in the square and made its way to the castle," Dilan replied, "But when we tried to drive it away, it went berserk! Aeleus is trying to keep it at bay, but we have to stop it!"

"Go get Even, and have him bring something that can make this…thing…groggy," Ansem ordered, "And have Ienzo stay with Luna in the infirmary. I'd rather she not be alone through this."

"What of Xehanort and Braig?"

"Bring them along as well, but don't let them pass by the infirmary," Ansem replied. He turned to Luna, who was looking up at him in confusion. "It's alright, Luna. Just stay here, okay? Ienzo will be on his way to keep an eye on you."

Luna nodded as she let him go.

At full haste, Ansem and Dilan left the infirmary, splitting in two different directions. When it's clear that they're gone, Luna slipped out of her cot and slowly stumbled toward the door, wondering what is going on out there (but too afraid to step out and find out). She got herself a surprise when she saw Even coming toward the doorway with Ienzo in tow; she had a guess that they meant to come this way.

"Luna, what are you doing out of bed? You know things are getting dangerous right now," Even scolded as he came in. When she didn't answer, he shook his head. "Well, never mind." He turned to Ienzo. "Now listen carefully. You stay here with Luna, and make sure she doesn't do anything foolish, understand?"

Ienzo nodded in compliance, allowing the elder scientist to leave in a hurry. When he was gone, the boy turned toward Luna with a 'what were you doing' look on his face. But Luna had other things on her mind.

"What monster is out there?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head, equally uncertain as to what was going on. "I don't know, Luna."

"…I'm scared. I don't wanna be alone," Luna said timidly.

Unexpectedly, she grabbed Ienzo tightly like a lifeline, not wanting to let go. Though he was confused about this, he just decided to go with it and rubbed her head in reassurance that everything was going to be okay.


	20. Chapter 19: Living Insanity

**Hello, dear readers! Did you miss me? I wanted to be able to write a little further so that I could post a little more of the story, so thousands of pardons for that. That being said, in this section, you get to briefly meet a character that only gets a brief debut in the storyline, but will have bigger significance down the line. If you like to know what to expect of this new character, I'd gladly tell you, but I can't guarantee that I'll spoil it all. Anyways, enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except my OCs.**

**Read, leave a review, but no flames allowed.**

Video Surveillance: Entrance Hall – Record 013

Everything in the entrance hall was getting out of hand. By the time Ansem had reached the hall, it was already a bit of a mess; bits of stone were broken and fabrics on the walls were badly torn apart. In the center of the room was a disturbing creature that nobody has ever seen before – in fact, Ansem had no idea what the heck it is.

The creature is a humanoid shaped entity (vaguely resembling a young woman) wearing a full harlequin mask over pumpkin-orange eyes with streaks of red running down both its eyes (which could easily be mistaken for tears of blood), dressed in a full form-fitting straitjacket bound in several spiked belt straps and rusty shackles all around the body. Some of the shackles on its body hovered around it, ready to lash out at anyone who tries to oppose it, as though it were acting on the instinct of self-preservation.

Ansem was especially stunned when he saw that Aeleus was barely standing up with his axe on hand, trying to fend off this monster that had broken into the castle.

"What is that thing?" he had to question in shock.

"I don't know, Master Ansem. It just came out of nowhere," Aeleus replied, "Dilan and I tried to scare it off, but then it just went crazy and tried to kill us."

"What do you mean it went crazy?" Ansem asked.

"It's almost as though…as though it was corrupted by insanity," Aeleus replied hesitantly.

When the creature turned its attention from Aeleus to Ansem, it suddenly unleashed its shackles and charged forward to Ansem with the intent of murder. However, before any harm could come his way, a dart flew by and hit the monster near the neck, rendering it sluggish and groggy and unable to fight back. Both men turned around to find that Dilan had arrived with Even, who happened to carry a small device with loaded paralytic darts. Braig appeared afterwards with his guns held out towards the creature in case it managed to overcome the paralysis, followed by Xehanort, who was shown to have a perplexed look on his face that equaled the question of what that thing is similar to how Ansem was earlier.

"Whaddya suppose this thing is?" Braig asked as he kept his weapon pointed at the creature.

"That is a question in which I have no answer," Even replied as he examined the groggy thing, "It's not like any monster I've ever seen in my life. But what worries me is how dangerous this abomination is. If this…thing, whatever it is, is able to attack against Aeleus and Dilan like it did before we got here, then we shouldn't even dare to study it."

"Then what do we do about it?" Dilan asked.

"If anything, we need to contain it someplace where it won't harm anyone," Even replied.

Ansem sighed as he nodded in agreement. "Then we'd better take it into the Quarantine Area before it wakes up and realizes what we're doing. Until we can determine what it is, we cannot let this thing roam free."

Immediately, everyone worked together to bind the masked creature and drag it out of the entrance hall to the intended destination.

However, while everyone else worked on dragging the creature to the Quarantine Area, Braig and Xehanort slowly followed behind them until it was just the two of them in the hallway. Then, Braig suddenly spoke up like he had been waiting to say something but didn't want anyone else to hear the conversation.

"Hey, Xehanort, I meant to ask you something. How'd your visit go?" he asked with curiosity.

But Xehanort shook his head with a frown. "Not too well. She fears me. I don't know why."

Briag sighed in frustration. "Drat! I was hopin' I could hear something good. Guess ol' Ansem was right about what he said. If she's scared of ya, then we're not gonna get anywhere with her, aren't we?"

"…I intend to try again. She feels…familiar to me. I must find out how so," Xehanort said with renewed persistence, "I must find something that can answer my questions about her."

"Well, you're the one who wants to do it. I'm not stoppin' you. Just don't let anyone catch you red-handed, yeah?" Braig said as he shrugged his shoulders.

After that, the sniper walked away to handle other business, leaving Xehanort alone lost in thought. After a few minutes of not moving, he reached into his coat pocket, pulled out the makeshift key, and looked at it in contemplation. He couldn't help but think of the little girl that he tried to speak to with no success, and couldn't help but question why she feared him. He had to know what holds her back, what makes her frightened to him. He had to know.

* * *

><p>Video Surveillance: Quarantine Area A – Record 013<p>

In a dark, dimly lit room isolated from all other sections of the castle, the masked humanoid creature sat bound in chains and held inside an unbreakable glasslike container. When it came out of its sedated state, it realized that it had been drugged and then locked away from the rest of the world; even after its momentary flight into rage, it couldn't break out of its bonds no matter how hard it tried. After a little while, it did wear itself down enough that it can't do anything to escape from its prison.

Even so, it couldn't help but growl in anger at being imprisoned against its will and left to be ignored by all those who were responsible for its capture. It wanted something…but what? How should it know? It had no idea how it came to be or where it came from. All it knew was that it sensed something similar to itself within that castle, but those…humans…thought it a dangerous enemy, and decided to shut it away like it's a monster that shouldn't even be revealed to the public eye. It hated being treated like that. It hated being locked in a cage like an animal. It hated being ignored.

A door was heard opening, and it could see somebody entering the place. But what did it care? It hated that human for being one of its captors.

"I don't know what your problem is, but you caused much trouble for us," a thin elderly voice said with an exasperated sigh.

The creature glared up at the platinum haired individual and hissed, "Trouble…You are trouble…"

"Oh, now you're accusing me? You're insane."

The creature growled as it struggled with its binds. "Insane…! I…am insanity! You filthy human…!"

No response was given when the platinum-haired man left the place as quickly as he came, ignoring its existence. Once again, it was all alone, left in isolation with no contact. It growled a bit before glancing about as though hearing something that nobody else can.

"Stop…! Leave me!" it cried out as it wriggled around, shaking its bindings. "Stop it!"

This went on for several hours until it finally collapsed in exhaustion from repeatedly struggling in its bondage. No longer did it speak, reduced to only groans and growls as it succumbed to the urge to sleep.


	21. Chapter 20: Escape Attempt

**Here we go again. I know I am such a cruel writer for allowing an amnesiac enemy to do this, but even I want to say 'how dare you!'. But I digress. I promise you that the good doctor will settle the matter soon, so please be patient, my dear readers!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, no flames allowed here.**

Video Surveillance: Infirmary – Record 014

It was nearly dark in the room, as night had arrived. After the chaos had been settled hours ago, Luna was put back to bed and was carefully tended to until it was dark outside and it was time for most of the staff to rest. At first, she didn't want to sleep, but sleep quickly overpowered her and made her slip into slumber as she should at her current age.

But then, in the middle of the night, the sound of the door unlocking faintly came out, and the door slowly opened up to allow Xehanort to enter. Once he was in, he looked outside the infirmary just long enough to make sure no one is watching him or coming by his path, and then closed the door behind him. Quietly, he locked it to make sure nobody would bother him and slowly approached the cot Luna is sleeping in. As he did the first time, he put a small distance between them and cautiously placed his hand onto her head. Unfortunately, when he did, Luna woke up, looked up toward him, and instantly shrank away in fright the moment she made eye contact. She wanted to scream out loud, but she couldn't do it; it didn't help that Xehanort put a hand over her mouth as a precaution, so as to make sure she doesn't make a sound to give him away.

"Do not cry out," he said in a soft but commanding tone.

When he was sure that she wouldn't let out any cry that would alarm anyone, he let go of her mouth after a few minutes. Though she doesn't scream, she still trembles and backs away in terror at him.

"Tell me…who are you?" Xehanort asked quietly.

Luna didn't answer him when she shook her head, squirming away until her back hit the railing set (meant to keep her from falling off either side).

"Why will you not speak to me?" Xehanort persisted.

She still refused to speak, trying to hide her eyes away from him. But he wasn't going to let her shrink away that easily; he was able to reach over to her face, and held it up just enough that she could see his golden eyes from the corner of her dulled eyes.

"No…leave me alone…" Luna whimpered, struggling to get out of his grip, "Go away…! Leave me alone!"

When Xehanort tried to get closer to her, he got a bit of a surprise when he saw a shadowy hand appear from behind her as though it was meant to ward him off. And then, two more appeared and began to take up a protective stance around Luna. Slowly, he backed away and released his grip on her as he suspected that she was feeling like a cornered prey under defensive pressure. Even with that knowledge, he wasn't able to move away fast enough when one of the hands reached out and tried to grab his arm; though he was able to free himself as quickly as he was caught, the price of escape was when he received a scratch on his left arm.

He immediately backed away while clutching his left arm tightly, knowing that he failed to get any information from her yet again. Deciding against pressuring her, Xehanort took leave of the room and locked the door behind him, leaving Luna alone in the room.

However, once he was gone, though, Luna hastily moved the sheets of her and struggled to climb out of bed – only to collapse to the floor with a little thud. A shadowy hand reached out and pulled her up, allowing her to barely stand on her own two feet. Desperate, she unknowingly sank into her shadow and slithered through the cracks of the infirmary door until she was out of sight.

* * *

><p>Video Surveillance: Hall to InfirmaryStudy – Record 014

Outside the door, the strange shadow released Luna from where she hid, allowing her to move around. But once she saw that she had left the infirmary, she began to wander aimlessly through the halls in search for a way out of the castle. She didn't know where to go, she didn't know who could help her; all she wanted to do was leave the place and get away from the man she saw with her…she had to escape.

"I must get out…I have to…" she whispered fearfully as she stumbled about the place. "I don't want to be here…"

As she moved further away, several Shadow Hands emerged around her as though they were forming a protective circle.

But once she turned the corner and vanished, Dilan came into view and looked inside the infirmary door window to find that the little girl was gone. Surprised at this, he checked the door to see if it was locked; with a small rattle, there was no doubt it was secured. He silently questioned, how did she get out of the infirmary then?

"Unless she had some form of magic, there's no way she could've escaped," Dilan murmured to himself, until something hit his mind. "Wait…"

* * *

><p>Video Surveillance: Entrance Hall – Record 014<p>

When Luna finally reached the entrance hall, she didn't pay any mind to the remnants of rubble around her, but kept her focus on the door in front of her. She was sure that it was her only way out of the castle, away from the man she saw. However, before she could move toward the door and see whether she could open it, she heard footsteps coming toward the place; though she wanted to keep moving, something made her stop and question if someone was coming her way; if so, what for?

"Young lady, what are you doing here?"

Luna slowly turned around to see that it was Vayne in the entrance hall, his hand holding a sheathed knife. She didn't know what he was doing here, but she didn't want to think about it. Her head shifted back toward the door, and was about to move towards it until she heard him move a few steps towards her. It made her stop, and turn back towards him, and she saw that he looked ready to detain her at any moment.

"I'm afraid you haven't answered my question," Vayne reminded her.

"…I want to leave." Luna replied as she clutched her arms tightly. "I have to get away from here…I have to…"

"Why do you intend to leave?" he asked, intent on answers, "As I recall, you are ill. An ill person shouldn't leave until a cure is found for whatever the ailment may be. What would Ansem think if he found you out of the infirmary?"

The moment she heard Ansem's name, she instantly stood stiff and looked away, unsure of how to answer. Before she could say anything, Luna heard more footsteps coming, but didn't bother to turn around to see who it is because she was lost in her thoughts. Ansem and Dilan arrived on the scene, surprised to find her there and not where she should be.

"Luna, what are you doing outside the infirmary?" Ansem questioned sternly, "How did you get out for that matter?"

Luna hesitated before she answered vaguely. "I have to get out…I have to…"

Dilan took a warning step, ready to detain her if she tried anything. "I may not understand what's wrong with you, but if you don't come with us, we might have to force you."

"Dilan, don't threaten her. She'll perceive you as an enemy if you speak like that," Ansem warned strongly as he slowly approached her. Though he was uneasy at the sight of the shadowy hands surrounding her, he had to calm her down. "Luna, will you come along quietly? I promise we will not harm you, but you have to come with us. Given your current state, you could hurt someone. You don't want that, do you?"

After a few moments of contemplation, Luna slowly turned around to face her caretaker. As she did, the shadowy hands dissipated into her shadow, allowing her to awkwardly walk over to him and let him lead her away from the entrance hall.

As he was doing so, Ansem gave Dilan a nod that said 'resume what you were doing' and continued to lead Luna like a parent to a child. While he was doing so, Vayne followed closely with something on his mind.

"Tell me, Ansem. That little girl you've been monitoring…for what reason are you keeping her in the castle?" Vayne asked. "I can understand that you're trying to investigate her illness, but what were you hoping to learn from her? Surely someone this young would have fractured memories."

"True…but she's different. She remembers things clearly, but the most she is doing – as far as I could see – is shutting them in," Ansem replied quietly, "I've already told Professor Shantotto what has been going on with her, so you should know about it by now. As for my goals, what I want to know is what caused her to fall to such a broken condition. I don't know what'll happen once I find the answer, but I wish to see her on the road to recovery until she is free of the pain she suffered." He turned to Vayne with a suspicious frown. "Is there a reason you're prying as well?"

"I'm only asking because Larsa has been quite concerned as of late, most likely due to our last encounter with her," he answered nonchalantly, "I understand that it's not my place to ask questions on matters that do not concern me, but I thought I should know what I am up against if my brother intends to see her."

Ansem didn't say anything after that, as he wondered what his acquaintance could be thinking when discussing about Luna. All the same, he knew that he had to be more careful from now on.


	22. Chapter 21: Discovering the Truth

**Hello everyone! Lilith here, and hope you guys had a good Thanksgiving (if you do have that holiday, that is). Well, just to ease everyone during the tense chapters, I've decided to bring on the intervention and settle things down for the moment. And, just for a little bonus, I've decided to put in not just this chapter, but another one to go with it. Hope you like!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, no flames allowed.**

Ansem's Medical Log – Entry 6

I haven't been recording for these past four weeks ever since finding Luna trying to leave the castle in the middle of the night. After that incident, I've been encountering serious hindrances to my studies with her because something has been frightening her – so much that she is unable to speak to me nearly seventy-five percent of the time. No matter what I've tried, she couldn't give me an answer as to the source of her fears.

And that is not the worst of it.

Sometimes, from what I've experienced, she would have nightmares in which the information is rather vague; the most she would mention is darkness and evil eyes, whatever that meant. Other nights, she would somehow manage to escape the infirmary without my knowledge and attempt to escape the castle. Fortunately, either Aeleus or Dilan will locate her and bring her back to the room without any trouble. Even so, it still bothers me that I wasn't able to determine what is going on. What is it that haunts her, thus preventing me from investigating her any further? Or is a person doing this? I wish I knew what it is…

Early Evening

I just had a little thought about what has transpired these past weeks. I remembered that we have security cameras near the infirmary door as well as inside the room; so, if I could comb through the records through the four weeks, I might just be able to find the answer to these problems and catch the culprit behind Luna's relapse into instability. When I do, I can take action so that she wouldn't be bothered ever again.

Later

I made a trip to the security archives and brought up the data from both of the surveillance videos going through four weeks as I had hoped. As I combed through the first part of the footage, I could see the nighttime atmosphere along with Luna – until, to my horror, I saw a familiar person enter the infirmary and attempt to speak to her. Much to my dismay, Xehanort was in that room…when I told him that he shouldn't see her! I could tell how frightened she was of him, especially when she refused to look at him.

But that was just the start of my fears: as I combed through each nightly recordings, I could only watch in shock at Xehanort being there. At first, I couldn't understand how he was able to get in the room since I never gave him a key to that room specifically, much less let him borrow a key from the other apprentices.

That is, until I thought about searching the hall records. I was able to do so, and – as I was observing the movements of Xehanort, I noticed something completely off about what he was doing. He had something in his hand…but what? I had the image scanned closer until I could get a clearer look at the peculiar item in his possession; at that point, I was stunned to see that he has a key of his own. How did he acquire one? Only he would know that. Not only that, but when I watched another recording, I saw him clutching his left arm for some reason as he was leaving the infirmary, most likely scratched by something while he was in the room.

Now that I know who the intruder is, I have to see how he was able to enter the place without getting caught by everyone else. I'll hide myself somewhere in the hallway and observe the situation, and once I have confirmed my suspicions, I'll see that the trouble stops once and for all.

* * *

><p>Video Surveillance: Hall to InfirmaryStudy – Record 023

At first, everything appeared to be quiet in the hallway. But then, Xehanort passed through the hall to the infirmary, and proceeded to pull the key out of his coat pocket; once he did, he unlocked the door and opened it slowly so that he can enter without disturbing the patient inside. But before he went inside, he looked around him to make sure that no one was watching him; when he was sure that nobody is around, he went in and closed the door behind him.

Unbeknownst to him, however, he didn't realize that Ansem was watching from behind the study door, and he was more than repulsed at what he was seeing; he was angered that one of his own apprentices had disobeyed the restriction he set up. While he may not have an idea why Xehanort would do this behind his back, at the very least he was able to figure out who was disturbing Luna and hindering progress on investigating her illness. But what he did want to know is what manner of key his apprentice was using to get inside, and if anything happened whenever he did enter the infirmary.

After waiting for about half an hour, he heard the door open up and closed the door to just a crack; shortly after, Xehanort emerged from the infirmary and quietly locked the door behind him. But as he was locking the door, he winced a bit and looked down at his left arm. Left with no other choice, he had to put away the key with his right hand; once he did, he impulsively checked his left arm and rubbed it tenderly, most likely thinking that he needs to get his injuries treated right away. After a few moments of examining the bandaged injury, he moved the sleeve back in its place and walked down the hall…but not without stopping for a moment to check if anyone is watching him; when he was sure no one was eyeing him, he continued to walk away until he was completely out of view.

When Xehanort was gone from sight, Ansem opened the study door and stepped out of his hiding place. After everything he has seen, he was internally angry at his apprentice's disobedience and devastated that he didn't realize what he was going on sooner. But now that he knows what was going on behind his back, he knows that something needs to be done to stop Xehanort from bothering Luna again; but that meant he would have to figure out how to set up extra measures so that his pupil would stay away from the infirmary for good. How to do that is the big question.

"All the same, I don't want the child to lose her mind because of him," Ansem said to himself, "I'll have to speak with Xehanort first thing in the morning, and take away what he used to break into the infirmary."


	23. Chapter 22: Caught Red-Handed

**And here it is: an additional chapter, and you can rest easy for now because Xehanort has been caught! I hope this will be very satisfying for those of you who wanted someone to interfere and cease the relapse for our dear patient. Hope you enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, leave a review, but no flames.**

Video Surveillance: Study – Record 024

It was morning, evident when Ansem entered the study alone and began to work on the unfinished documents for a moment. But what was really on his mind was how to intervene against Xehanort; with the evidence of his disobedience already taken into account, he wasn't sure what will happen once he puts a stop to the action of his apprentice. He wants to keep his patient safe, but even so, he couldn't help but question what other issues would come up besides unwanted intrusion. If other problems are possible, then he'd have to determine what they might be and what can be done to reduce or – if at all possible – prevent such things from happening.

Regardless, he was able to speak with Xehanort first thing in the morning and explained to him that a private meeting is in order. Ansem found no protest on why he was summoned, but he did notice that his apprentice was perplexed as to why he was called.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the door open, and Xehanort entered the room, looking uncertain as to what he was doing here despite trying to maintain a calm face. That was when Ansem knew that it was time to take action and perform his intervention.

"Thank you for coming, Xehanort. I was hoping I could ask you a few questions, and clear up certain issues that have come up," Ansem said coolly, "You do understand why you're here, don't you?"

"Yes. You told that it was a matter that must be addressed privately," Xehanort replied.

"Indeed, it is. In fact, I'll come straight to the point: why have you been disobeying the restriction these past four weeks?" Ansem asked with an interrogating tone.

The instant that question was brought up; Xehanort was taken aback at this, as though he didn't see that coming.

"Master Ansem…what do you mean?" he asked, trying to hide his fear.

"Don't try to hide anything from me, Xehanort. I've spent four weeks trying to investigate why the patient has become fearful, and why she spoke less than she would've," Ansem warned harshly, "Though it took until yesterday for me to figure it out, I have discovered that the culprit behind the patient's relapse was – undoubtedly – you. So I must make two requests…no…two demands from you. First, show me the key you've been using behind my back."

Reluctantly, Xehanort reached into his coat pocket and pulled the key that he had been using to enter the infirmary. When Ansem made a gesture for him to hand it over without complaint, he did as he was supposed to and gave him the makeshift key. When the master examined it, it was easy to tell that it looked like his own key, but made for a different purpose than intended. Once he was done, Ansem held up the key and returned his gaze to his apprentice.

"How did you get ahold of this key?" he asked.

"I made it, sir," Xehanort answered.

"Did you now? That was quite clever, I'll admit that. However, that was also a shameful thing for you to do," Ansem replied with a hint of intrigue and anger, "I had told you not to see her, and yet you did so regardless. Tell me, for what reason were you breaking into the infirmary?"

Xehanort was silent for a moment, but then he unwillingly replied, "I thought…I was thinking seeing her personally would bring back any lost memory. I was wrong, it seems."

"You were indeed wrong on that. I'm sure those visits you've done with the child have brought on negative effects, especially on her," Ansem pointed out, "But that's not all there is, isn't there? Did something happen in there that made you fuss with your left arm?"

Not surprisingly, Xehanort made no reply to that as he held his left arm tightly. Ansem suspected this, and figured that something made his apprentice hurt himself; nonetheless, he has the evidence he needs to take action.

"I may not understand or know what your real intentions with her may be, but I must remind you that I specifically restricted you and Braig from ever seeing Luna," he warned, "Because you disobeyed said restriction, I have to confiscate this key from you so that you never bother her again. Secondly, let this be my final warning to you: you must never, **_ever_** enter the infirmary again under any circumstances. If I catch either you or Braig trying to break in again, I promise you that there will be severe consequences. Do I make myself clear?"

As much as Xehanort wanted to spill out some form of protest, he said nothing; he reluctantly bowed in understanding and left the study without another word. Once he was gone, though, Ansem sat back down and took a deep breath of exhaustion.

"Well, that part of the matter should be settled, but just to be safe, I'd better put that forged key someplace where Xehanort can't find it," he said to himself. After a few minutes of contemplation, he sat up with an idea in mind. "Perhaps I could keep the key hidden under a different coding…"

* * *

><p>Xehanort's Journal – Entry 4<p>

I had been caught by Ansem, and the key I used was confiscated from me. What is worse is that my visits with her had not revived any memory. All I have ever done to the child was frighten her, and when my master found out about it, he was angry with me and warned me to never attempt to enter the infirmary again.

It frustrates me that I cannot see her again, but I suppose there is no more I can do for a long while.

As soon as I came back to my room, I found Braig waiting for me, and he asked what had happened. As soon as I told him what had transpired, he was more than disappointed to find out I was caught in the act. Even so, he wanted to know whether or not I got anything out of her; I didn't, I admit to that. That frustrated him even more. I could tell he had hoped that being around her would bring back a memory or something along that line; in truth, my approach had only aroused fear from the girl, which means that I would have to seek other options.

But until something can be done, I'll continue to participate in the experiments and proceed with our objectives.


	24. Chapter 23: Ienzo's Diary - Entry 4

**Okay...five points to anyone who didn't see this coming, and ten points to anyone who got a laugh out of Ienzo using a book for a weapon; fifteen points if it's both.**

**That aside, I'm gonna be a little slow with posting more chapters because I really want to get further on my writing; but it isn't gonna be easy, what with the holidays and all. I hope you understand. But I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, leave a review, but no flames.**

Ienzo's Diary – Entry 4

I've heard that Xehanort disobeyed the restriction placed on him, and had been caught about a week ago. Why would he do that, and what was he doing that ultimately got him caught red-handed? Unfortunately, no one talks about it, probably not wanting to spread any rumors or distorted gossips about what went on at the infirmary through the four weeks up to the exposure of the culprit.

After that incident, Ansem limited any visitations for a whole week because he wanted to make sure that Luna can be at ease without the possibility of seeing the intruder ever again. Though it would be a good idea to let her recover from her relapse, I fear that she might also be lonely in there, not having someone to talk to or to keep her company. Surely someone can at least check on her and make sure that there's nothing potentially dangerous lurking in the room while she's alone; after all, given her conditions, she could be defenseless.

I'll go see her later in the evening, and see if she's handling well on her own.

Later

I cannot believe that I had to experience something like this. I must record this, if only to keep myself from thinking I've gone crazy.

True to my word earlier, I managed to finish my work with enough hours to visit Luna and made my way to the infirmary. I didn't have any trouble getting in, and I was able to find her in bed alone; but while she does seem better than she was weeks before, I could sense that she's rather – what's the word I'm looking for – lonely. I can understand that Ansem wanted her to come out of her fright, but I have to confess that severely limiting contact for a week is just too much! She must've been questioning why no one talks to her, or why no visitors have come to comfort her for that matter. I would certainly not enjoy such isolation myself, but unfortunately, I am not Luna, so how would I know?

That being said, when I did enter, I could hear her shifting in her bed, possibly wondering who's there. As soon as I got closer and pulled up a stool so I could see, she turned in the direction I was standing, and greeted me with a look that asked 'are you here to talk to me?'; perhaps she was expecting answers as to why nobody speaks to her and wants someone to ask her what her status is. I know I would've done that.

To my surprise, though, the first thing I asked her was, "How are you feeling?"

Luna was quiet for a moment before asking me, "That man…won't bother me again, right?"

I nodded, which appeared to have reassured her that things are going to be okay. She breathed a sigh of relief, but then she sank into a depressed mood in seconds.

"But why am I left alone? Why does no one talk to me…?" Luna questioned, "…I hate it."

Before I could give her any answer, I saw something shadowy and sinister fluttering from the other side of the bed. I didn't have any idea what was going on…until I saw a small claw-like hand reach out to the railing and clasp it tightly. The next thing I knew, I saw a vaguely humanoid creature heave itself up with the aid of the rails, and I could clearly see that…that thing wore a broken carnival mask on its face decorated in battered feathers, and was wearing a tattered black dress and bonnet.

The rattling from the rails caught Luna's attention, making her turn around to find out what it was. However, the moment she saw the creature, she instantly let out a shriek and frantically waved her hand at it as though she were trying to drive away an insect. That thing would've been able to grab her if I hadn't let my instincts kick in and pull Luna out of bed away from its reach. But that victory was short-lived by the time we got to the floor because it saw what I was doing, and crawled down to ground level, most likely perceiving me as an obstacle to whatever its objective may be. Once it did, I'm certain we found ourselves having a standoff – for some reason, it tried to reach toward Luna; I had to act and safeguard her from that thing, for I hadn't the faintest clue whether or not it is as dangerous as the last monster that was caught and placed in quarantine.

I looked around for something – anything – that can be used for a weapon, but since there was nothing useful in the room, the first thing I grabbed was a hardcover book for defense. What happened after that was so fast, but I'll try to put down as much detail as I can, no matter how insignificant. I recall that the creature made a lunge toward us, meaning to move me out of the way and get to Luna; the next thing I knew, I slammed the book against its head – quite hard, might I add – and made it stagger and fall down. Apparently, when I did that, I unknowingly dropped the book to the floor, possibly convinced that I got it and it won't do any more harm for a while.

Just then, the infirmary door opened violently and in came Ansem along with Even; they must've heard Luna's scream and rushed over to find out what was going on. They were stunned to find that thing in the room along with us.

"Ienzo, what happened? Are you both alright?" Ansem asked as he ran over to check on us.

I nodded, letting him know I was fine; on Luna's part, she clung to Ansem tightly like she was glad to see an adult with us.

Even bent down to examine the unconscious thing and questioned, "Where did this thing come from? And how did it get into the infirmary?"

The master turned to me, wanting answers. "Tell me what happened here. Any little information would help us know what to do about that thing."

As much as I didn't want to talk about it, I explained how it appeared from what I suspected nowhere and meant to pursue Luna. Why, I didn't have a clue. The results from the assault pretty much told the rest of the story. If I was to be honest, I'm quite that Master Ansem never imagined that I would be able to fight back against an intruder, much less something that seemed dangerous. Either way, something will have to done with that thing while it's still out cold – most likely place it under quarantine, like the other creature.

"Well, regardless of the situation, we have to do something about this thing," Even pointed out as he finished examination, "Should we put it in quarantine like we did the other one?"

"Very well, we'll put it in quarantine. But do not keep it alongside the other creature held in there," Ansem ordered, "Have it put in another section."

Even saw to it that the unconscious thing was taken away to the Quarantine Area, while Ansem spoke with us to make sure that we really are okay after what had happened before they arrived; I couldn't complain about that since we're practically the youngest residents in the castle – well, I would count Larsa considering he's only two years old, but I don't know where he and his brother have been staying these days – and he doesn't want any of us to be too traumatized, not that I was in that position.

However, on Luna's part, he wanted to make certain that she was alright. She wasn't willing to speak about what she experienced, but her little nods and the way she clung to me was most likely her way of saying that she was scared, but was glad I was there. It was certainly a strange notion that she would think this way.

All the same, we had to get Luna to bed and resume our business. But before we left, I heard Ansem say something rather curious.

"I'm sorry about this, Luna. If I had known you were lonely the whole week, I would've done something to let you know that we're trying to help you come out of the relapse," he said softly to her, "But what's done is done. I'll check on you tomorrow morning, and we'll see where you're at right now. We still need to know the cause of your illness, don't we?"

I watched as Luna nodded in agreement, but I could tell she doesn't really want to go through with it.

I'm not sure why, but something within me was making me loathe the fact that this fragile girl is being kept in one place like this, and have little to no contact with the outside. I know that Luna must never have any contact with Xehanort for her health's sake, and I understand that limited contact is the best way to increase her chances at recovery, but why must she be shut away so strictly?

If it were up to me, I'd do anything to set her free…


	25. Chapter 24: Little One

**Because even evil has to have a soft spot toward something, right?**

**That aside, I can safely tell my dear readers that I do plan on setting up a whole other fanfic; and it's going to be...I don't know who's gonna be surprised...Final Fantasy 2! If anyone is questioning 'What? Lilith, have you lost it? Have you even played the game?' my answer is no, I'm not crazy. I just thought that someone's gotta do FF2 some justice. I'll let you guys know when I've got it posted, maybe once I've put up another chapter for this story I'll give you the heads up. Sound good? Good. With all that said, enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames.**

Xehanort's Journal – Entry 5

Something startling just occurred this evening.

I was reviewing over the notes taken down during the experiments when Braig suddenly came in and told me what had happened at the infirmary. From what information he was able to gather, he heard that another strange creature made an appearance, but this time Luna and Ienzo saw it (dare I say I raised an eyebrow that the boy knocked it out with simply a hardcover book; a normal person would've died of laughter about that). It was taken to the Quarantine Area, but not in the same place as the last one.

I asked Braig if he was able to see what the new creature looked like, and he told me that it vaguely resembled a little girl that came out of a horror tale; he went deeper in detail when he pointed out a broken mask and tattered clothes, which certainly fits his earlier description about it.

Wait…it?

No. I'll have to see for myself before determining whether or not to regard the newborn as an individual.

Braig informed me that the best hour to enter the Quarantine Area is at night when others are not monitoring the place. He even told me that Area B is the place to go. At the very least, I know where to go from there.

I may not be able to see Luna again, but perhaps it'd be better if had contact with someone else.

* * *

><p>Video Surveillance: Quarantine Area B – Record 034<p>

It was very dark in the room, and what little lighting was in there didn't help.

When the little thing woke up, it noticed that it was being kept inside a large container, completely isolated and alone. Immediately it became very frightened and lonely, unable to comprehend what happened and why it was being imprisoned in such a lonesome, dismal environment without any knowledge of her captors. Not knowing what to do, it crawled into the corner of the glass container and cowered there for a good long while.

That is, until it heard something opening and could momentarily see bright light flooding the room until it disappeared at the sound of something closing. It looked up to see a tanned skinned man with golden eyes looking down at it. What was he doing? What did he want?

"Hello, little one."

It continued to stare at the man in curiosity, wondering what he had meant.

"You are lonely, aren't you? I can tell."

It slowly stood on its odd little feet in an attempt to look up a bit further, but could barely stand any further than it can; it didn't help that the container was small enough that it could easily fit a grown man inside. Still, it gazed on with its pseudo-innocent eyes intent on observing the curious stranger who spoke with such odd understanding.

"What is your name?"

The poor thing had no answer to that question. It never had a name to begin with. Interestingly, he understood it perfectly.

"I see. You don't need to answer right now." There was a pause. "In that case, I will tell you mine: Xehanort. Do you understand?"

The little creature slowly nodded, apparently intrigued by the name it heard and wanting to try to repeat the name. At first, no sound came out, but after about three tries, it came out as slowly as a recovering mute just regaining their voice.

"X…Xe…ha…nort…" a soft, childish voice whispered from it.

The man raised his brow in fascination at the miracle, and was amused when it tried out its voice again.

"Xehanort…Xehanort…"

After that, it stopped and sat back down, a bit surprised that it was able to speak one word. The man kept a low chuckle to himself as he watched it look at itself and back to him.

"So, you can speak? Much like a child starting to learn," the man said with intrigue. He turned to hear footsteps from the other side of the door, and back to the captive. "I'll return later. Be a good girl until then."

It watched as the man hastily left the room, leaving it all alone again. But strangely, it felt eager to see him again. He seemed to have become attached, and it felt pleasant for some reason, like it was not being treated as a monster, but as a person, a little girl, a good girl…

…Good girl?

What a strange thing to be called. It was almost as though 'she' was being viewed like an actual little girl; it was a funny notion, but at the same time, she liked that feeling. She would certainly look forward to seeing that man – no, Xehanort – again, and wondered what more he will say to her later on. As she crawled back to her little corner; she curled up in a fetal position and quickly dozed off, wondering what the next visit will bring, which soothed the heavy burden of loneliness from her shoulders for a little while.


	26. Chapter 25: Ansem's Medical Log - Ent 7

**And now, back in business. And hey, I thought I'd be fair and give a bit more insight into the reason why Luna had a certain perception back in Broken Hearts. Plus, I simply thought I should get another chapter up. Enjoy!**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, but no flames allowed.**

Ansem's Medical Log – Entry 7

After yesterday's incident, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to talk to Luna; but I proved myself wrong.

To begin, I paid a visit to the infirmary as I normally would, but after everything that happened, I checked around the halls to make certain that Xehanort and Braig are nowhere near the room; someone might think I'm being paranoid, but I just want to avoid a repeat of weeks before. Once I was sure that they aren't watching, I closed the door behind me and got down to business. That being said, when I sat down next to her, ready to commence a new interview, Luna looked at me like she knew what I wanted from her. I did explain to her that we had to get back in business, but I'm sure that she wasn't too eager to talk about the sensitive subjects.

"How are you feeling, Luna?" I asked her, "Better than yesterday, I presume?"

"…A little bit," she replied. "What are we doing?"

"I was hoping that we could commence with our interviews again. Several weeks ago – before your relapse – we learned about the people you lost, but you broke down afterwards," I told her, "I was hoping we could get a little deeper into the people you once knew. Is there someone you'd be willing to talk about first?"

Luna was quiet for a moment before she answered, "I don't know…maybe…" She looked down in contemplation. "…Maybe…talk about Aqua?"

"Alright, if that's what you want to do, then we'll start there," I agreed as I prepared to take notes, "Do you have any memory of when you first met her?"

Luna was quiet for several minutes before she told me what she could. "It was…two years ago. Big Brother had me meet her. He said that she's a friend of his…and that she trained with him, too. I thought Aqua was Big Brother's girlfriend."

I had trouble holding back my laughter at that. "Am I hearing that correctly? You actually thought that Aqua was a sweetheart to your older brother?"

Luna shrugged a bit. "It's what I thought back then. I didn't know their connection too well."

I took a moment to calm down before continuing. "Well, then, mild hilarity aside, what was Aqua to you? What manner of relationship did you have with her?"

"…She was like a big sister. Though…sometimes she scolded me like a mama would," Luna replied, "I may not like it, but I know she was just trying to look after me. She was…she was always someone I admired, because she was very kind and brave. Sometimes I liked being with her when I didn't to be around the guys."

"Is that so?" I was intrigued. "Was there anything you did with her?"

She said nothing, possibly contemplating what to say, before she answered, "Well…there was one thing I did with her while I was travelling. One thing…? No, two actually. I did help stop a monster from hurting people. And…I got to fight in an arena with her." She suddenly stopped talking for a moment. "…Oh…wait…She also helped me save Kairi. How did I forget that…?" She shook her head. "Hmm, must've slipped my mind…that's all."

"I wouldn't have guessed that you'd actually participate in such things," I admitted (I confess, I was a bit disturbed that this child would get involved in fights older people would do), "But if your friend was watching over you, I suppose it's not too much of a worry. Considering you're still a child, someone has to be more protective of you, right?" I watched as she nodded in agreement. "What happened to your friend, Aqua? Do you know where she is now?"

Unfortunately, Luna's face fell when I asked about her friend's whereabouts. I should've known better than that; what if she hasn't seen her, or seen where her friend went?

"…I…I don't know," she choked with tears coming out of her eyes, "I don't remember."

I was stunned at this: she's known this young woman, and yet she has no memory of what happened to said friend in question? What could've happened that made her unable to recall such an important detail? Regrettably, I couldn't get any more out of her because she had shut down on me; I tried to ask her why she couldn't remember, but she refused to speak to me.

I suppose I will have to make do with that information for now. When I next come into the infirmary, I'll have to investigate about her brother…as much as I don't want to after that incident with Xehanort. But what other options do I have?

What do I do?


	27. Chapter 26: Patient Report Three

**Hey everyone! Yeah, yet another extremely short section. Hope you don't mind. After all, it's a medical report, but on the bright side, at least the patient reports give a basic summary about what information had been gathered without elaborate writing in a journal.**

**Anyways, I do plan on setting up a whole different fic, and I'm sure I've said so many times. When I've got it up, I'll find a way to let you dear readers know, okay? Okay. That being said, enjoy what I've got.**

**I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts except for my OCs.**

**Read, review, no flames.**

Patient Report – Update Three

Name: Luna

Age: 4

Eye color: hazel green

Hair color: light blonde

Hometown: unknown

Family: older brother named Terra; grandfather figure called Eraqus; friends under the names of Ven and Aqua

Status report: Was delayed in interviews due to intrusions by Xehanort, and had to cease the forbidden visitations by confiscating the key he made and used.

I've just continued my interview with the patient; today, I learned a little more about one of her friends, Aqua. From what I have gathered, she is not only a friend, but also was an older sister figure as well as a mother figure for Luna. On a sillier note, the patient admitted being under the impression that Aqua was her brother's sweetheart, but that was a misunderstanding. Luna was involved with her at certain points, but hasn't bothered explaining deeper what she did with this friend.

Unfortunately, the patient has no recollection as to her female friend's whereabouts.

Next objective: Investigate the connection between patient and Terra, and brother's whereabouts


End file.
